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EDITED BY 



J/jSS BELLA FRENCH. 



NEILLSVILLE 



AND 



Clai'k do.tii\tr, Wi^doi^iT\. 




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LA CROSSE, WrS. 
SKETCH BOOK COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 

1875. 






ICT^f, Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by the Sketch Book f j(/pj 
;>?/"» Publishing Company, in the office of the Librarian ^9^ 

'l-^Vl „f pAnOTnci of \V...:lni-,irH)n . ifC^Lj ^ 



£M 



of Congress at Washington. 



_^&^mm^ 



INTENTS 



A View in N-'ilMiiir, Wisconsin, engraving. . 

Hon. James Hewett, portrail 

A <ili: illsville, Wisconsin 

NcilKvillr Busii 

Looking I'M' Flo .id 

Neillsville, Historical Sketch 

Sketch of Hon James O'Neill, with portrait 

Sketch of Hon 15. F. French, with portrait 

\ Description of Clark County, Wisconsin ... 

Hambird, Wisconsin 

i i. Wisconsin. . 

ililoquy, n poem 

Trying i<> Reform a Gal 

i poem 










. . 1 1 in 

. II irn 





PAGE 
244 



I . V O.IS <>?<!< I 




♦' 



ItSUTCSS 




t,\ C&088B, Wise! >\sf\. 

I ST \ KT IN' HI ■5I.VI 

\- Misiiii-s.— Gents over ll 
Nil." nil il .larch 1st. 

BoTI HOLAKSIIIP - 

i the lir-i prize for the best system of Bunkkeepi 
. held :it MihvMn 
'eninan«hip ami in 



Wm. B. HANSCOME & CO., 



■ DBAJ BBS 

■Provisions, Dried FVuita Ace, 

No. 9 Main Street, 
LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN. 



•Aii|cric;ui Ste;un Sufe L\>iii-i>;ii|\\ -liosloi 



JAMES O'NEILL, 

Attorney and Counselor at Law, 

find Notary Pu.l>lio. 
NEI LLSVI LLE, - WIS CONSIN. 

<^orceT7 lloy d, ~ ~ 

DEALER IN 

Heavy and Shelf Hardware, 

NEILLSVILLE, WISCONSIN. 

DR. J. C. LACY, Jr. 

Pkymmmm,; Mwggmm and Dentist. 

BA8T STREET, 

NEILLSVILLE, WISUONSIU. 



J. H. MARSHALL, 

WHOLK3A.LK AND iBETA.IL DEALER IX 

Hardware, Stoves U Tinware 

EAST STKEBT, KEILLSVILLE, WISOONSIN. 



ROSSMAN HOUSE, 

J. ROSSMAN Proprietor. 

Good Accommodations for Men and Teams. 



FREDERICK KLOPF, 

DEALER IN 

Dry Coods and Groceries, 

BQQtS, Sh&QSf ff^s sad 03JQS, 

East Street, Nelllsville, Wisconsin. 



S. F. JASEPH, 



DEALER IN 



Harness, Saddles, Trunks, 

Whips, Valices, Bells, and everything to be found in that line- 
Vacuum Oil always on hand. The only place in Clark County where the cole 
brated Rockwell Bit and Bridle can be fonnd. 



W. H. KOUNTZ, 

DIM I • 

Choice Family Groceries 

Confectioneries, Cigars, Tobacco, Flour, Provisions, etc. 

East St., Neillsville, Wisconsin. 



T. JOHNSON, 

Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, 

Musical Instruments, etc. 

Eamt >-i< i*eot, Xoill«vilU», Wisoonaia. 

Watches, Clooks and Jewelry of all kin 1 Repaire 1 in h Workmanlike Manner, and Warranted 

INTENTS DEPOT! 

JAMES W. FERGUSON, 

Dealer in Confectionery. Light Groceries, Fancy Goods, 

Stationery, Pictures, Toys and Notions. 

EAST STREET, NEILLSVILLE, WISCONSIN. 



GEORGE C. FARNHAM, 

DB \u:i: IN 

Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots & Shoes, 

CLOTHING, HATS, CAPS, NOTIONS, ETC. 

Opposite the O'Neill House. NEILLSVILLE, WIS. 



DR. W. C. CRANDALL, 

PHYSICIAN * SURGEON, 

Dealer in Drugs, Fancy Goods- Toys etc. 
NEILLSVILLE, - - WISCONSIN. 



HEWETT & WOODS, 

MAI DBALIU I* 



Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots & Shoes, 

Clothing, Hats, Caps, Furs and Cnckery. 

BRICK BTOH NEILLSVILLE, Wisconsin 



G^limp^e of JSfeill^yjlle, Wi$- 




E took the stage at Hum- 
bird, one bright, winter 
morning, for the above named 
place, with something of the 
feeling that we were sorry we 
had decided to go ; for we dread- 
ed the ride in a crowded vehicle, 
and then, we half imagined that 
a town which was not to be 
reached by a railroad, could not 
GOING TO NEILLSVILLE. amount to much, anyhow. But 
in both cases we were happily disappointed. In the first place, the 
ride proved to be a very amusing and, consequently, a pleasant one. 
It is a wonder that some bright stage driver does not write a book and 
call it "Life in a Stage Coach," for there is a wonderful field for 
somebody's genius. Among the passengers, on the above mentioned 
time, were a fine looking lady, wfio was evidently a woman's righter, 
and her invalid husband, who did nothing but'smile at her sallies ; a 
" traveling man," who took upon himself to defend and uphold " the 
down-trodden men," as he called them ; a woman, Shielded with ortho- 
doxy, and a man who professed to be an Atheist ; and, lastly, besides 
the writer, a youth, bundled up the eyes in furs, who uttered not a 
word during the whole journey, and who only showed his appreciation 
of the sharp remarks and sharper retorts, by a decided elevation of 
his red, turned-up nose, the only feature of his face not hidden by the 
afore-said furs. He became more of an amusement to us than all the 
others combined, and every time the red nasal organ jerked pleasantly 
25 



210 



American Sketch Boole. 



upward, we laughed aloud, to the evident surprise of our companions, 
Bince we laughed where they did not consider "the laugh came in." 
At last, we called the attention of the " traveling man," who sat upon 
the same seat with us, to the phenomenon, after which he laughed in 
chorua with us, when the nose jerked upward. It was a jolly crew, 
and a jolly time we had of it. Indeed, we were half sorry when the 
driver bawled out "Neillsville ! " 

Neillsville, like nearly all of the villages on or near the West Wis- 
consin Kail way, is a lumbering place. Looking at the view, we find 
it backed by a heavy forest, which not only tells some of its past, 
present and future history, but also lends to the thriving village a 
beauty not found in localities devoid of timber. " Man makes the 
cities, but God made the country;" and somehow we always feel 
m arer to <!"<! in places where trees shiver the sunbeams into showers 
of gold. However busy or thriving a village may be, a forest, near it, 
i- an additional charm to any true lover of Nature and Nature's God. 
The view, which appears with this article, shows only one side of the 
river: the factories and many of the finest residences are on the other 




Tin- O'Neill House, of which a second view is given, may be 

plainly seen at the left of the road leading to the village. It needs no 

ription to tell tin- reader that this is what may be called a fine 

building in a village " out in the woods." There is another feature 
added to this hotel, which may in time make it a popular resort for 



A Glimpse of Neillsville, "Wis. 211 

invalids. The proprietors, while recently digging a well, struck upon 
a mineral spring, one which is so strongly impregnated with iron that 
it is apparent to even the most casual observer. This well, and the 
purity of the atmosphere in this section of the country, will, in some 
not far distant day, make it a powerful rival of Sparta, if the proper 
means are used in placing it in a true light before the health-seeking 
portion of our people. Another fine building is the court house, now 
in process of erection, which also appears in the view at the left of 
the road. The plan adopted was furnished by Mr. C. J. Ross, of La 
Crosse, one of the best architects in the Northwest. The building will 
be ninety-six feet in length by sixty-four in width, and two stories 
above the basement. There will be six large offices, two private 
offices and four vaults on the first floor. The court room, sheriff's 
office and one jury room will occupy the second floor. The outward 
appearance of the building, judging from the sketch on exhibition, 
will be very fine. It will be an ornament to the village of Neillsville 
and a credit to Clark County. The school-house, which may be seen 
at the right of the road, is a magnificent edifice. Its dimensions, we 
are unable to give, but we can say, that in architecture, size and fin- 
ish, it is not often surpassed, even in places three times as large as 
Neillsville. The plan of this was also furnished by Mr. C. J- Ross- 
In addition to these, there are many other fine buildings — stores, 
dwellings, factories, etc., which lack of space prevents us from noting, 
one of the best of which is the large mercantile house of Hewett & 
Woods. 

Neillsville is the home of some of the noted men of Wiscon- 
sin. We called upon one of these— the Hon. B. F. French. He is 
truly an original character, and he might make a subject for study to 
even a practical phrenologist. In common with all members of the 
French family, he possesses a great love for dogs and hunting. On 
entering his office, we were surprised at the unusual number of dogs 
scattered about the room. In each corner, sat a dog, erect and stately, 
evidently awaiting his master's bidding to start out. A very large 
one sat on his haunches at the desk, and needed only a pair of glasses 
over his eyes and a pen behind his ear, to give the observer the im- 
pression that he was head clerk. A sixth was sleeping behind the 
stove; and a seventh kept guard at the door. The last was a large 
Newfoundland, and we were scarcely surprised, upon his being told 
to close the door, to see him do so as intelligently as a child might 
have done. On remarking, a little sarcastically, that he ought to have 



212 American Sketch Booh. 

I few more dogs, the gentleman informed us that he intended to have 
<>r three more as soon as he could get them ; though just what 
place- they are to occupy we are at a loss to guess. For some reason 
or other, Mr. French is dabbed " Doc," though he tries to reject 
that title of honor. We understand that at an early day, he followed 
at one and the same time, all the trades and professions known in the 
then uncivilized wilderness of western Wisconsin, and was one of 
the hest physician in this part of the country. Jie this as it may, 
the title of "Doc" sticks to him in spite'of his assertions that he 
does not want it. *' Doc " informed us that one of his peculiarities 
is "hatred of women." He loves dogs and to hunt deers (query — is 
that word spelled properly? ) but he hates women. lie always likes 
to assist them, however, because they are such weak, insignificant 
creatures ; and we must say that his hatred amounts to more, in this 
line., than does most men's friendship. But we are not writing Mr. 
French's biography, and so must desist, or Mr. O'Neill will have 
nothing left to say on the subject. 

There are many pleasant people in Neillsville, and one must get 
fully acquainted to form a correct estimate of them. Though not on 
the line of any railroad, it is a remarkably busy village, and as such 
is noted throughout the state. It may be reached by a few miles of 
staging, either from the Green Bay or West Wisconsin railroad ; and 
a project is now on foot among the citizens to build a railroad from 
Neillsville to connect with the Green Bay railroad, in which event her 
star would be rapidly in the ascendant. 

The view of Neillsville, and the portraits of Hon. B. F. French 
and Hon. James O'Neill, were engraved by Thomas Robinson, Esq., 
of St. Paul, from photographs by Mr. J. II. Crowns of Neillsville. 



A person is seldom sorry for a sin until after it is found out. It is 
vronderful how the finding out of a fault affects the conscience of a 



-inner. 



Money cannot heal a wounded heart, a perjured soul, or a diseased 
liver, bat it is ;i very soothing poultice for all three. 

Tlie godd ue.ir tlnir years afl a crown of glory upon their heads; 
the bud, as a. heavy burden upon their backs. 



Su$ii\e^ ©ifedtofy. 



County Officers. 

R. J. McBRIDE County Judge- 

W. C. ALLEN, Treasurer. 

J. F. CANON, County Clerk. 

W. T. HUTCHINSON, Register of Deeds. 

J. R. STURDEVANT, District Attorney. 

C.E. BUSSELL, Surveyor. 

R. J, SAWYER, Superintendent Public Schools. 

JAMES O'NEILL, Coroner. 

R. R. KING, Clerk Circuit Court. 

JACOB ROSSMAN, Sheriff. 



Town Officers. 

J. HEWETT, Chairman,") 

WILLIAM E. BURT, } Board of Supervisors. 

H. PARKER j 

C. B. BRADSHAW, Town Clerk. 

JAMES LYNCH, Treasurer. 

J. A. KIMBALL, Assessor. 

F. G. CAWLEY, \ n t , . 

AARON SHAVER, } ConstableS - 



Justices of the Peace. 

Ira B. Pope. Gr. W. Grousbeck. 



Professional Men. 

PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS. 

J. C. Lacy. W. C. Crandall. 

I. C. Marsh, Homeopathist. 



9114 American Sketch Book. 

ATTORNEYS. 
B. F. French. K. J. MacBride. James O'Neill. 

Ira B. Pope. J. R. Stardevant. M. C. Ring. 



Banks. 

Clark County Bank. MacBride & Allen's Bank. 

Hotels. 



O'Neill House, Johnson & Myers, Proprietors. 
Rossman House, Jacob Rossman, Proprietor. 



Printing Houses. 

" Clark County Press." " Clark County Republican." 



Real Estate, Insurance, etc. 

W. C. Allen. R. Dewhurst. W. T. Hutchinson. B. F. French. 



Lumber Manufacturers. 

Blakeslee & Austin. 



Livery Stables. 

E. H. Markey. J. W. Tolford. 



Lumber Dealers and Loggers. 

James O'Neill, Hiram Palmer. Hewett & Woods. 

James French. S. C- Boardman. R. Dewhurst. 

A. W. Clark. J. R. Sturdevant. Robert Ross. 

I'. I). Lindsay. Thomas Chadwick. A. Brown. 

Robert Christy. Anson Green. B. F. French. 

w. s. Covin. 



General Merchandise. 

1 1 1 wett k Woods. Geo. C. Farnam. D.Dickinson. I' Klopf 



Business Directory. 215 

Hardware. 

G. L. Lloyd. J. H. Marshall. 



Druggists. 

J. C. Lacey, Jr. W. C. Crandall. 

Grocer. 

W. H. Kountz. 



Confectionery. 

James Ferguson. 

Contractors and Builders. 

E. H. Bacoa. John Bruckmau. H. D. Eyerley. — Montgomery 

Manufacturers, 

Austin & Co., Grist Mill. L. W. Gallaher, Planing Mill. 

James Furlong, Furniture. C. B. Dopp, Furniture. 

S. F. Jaseph Harness Maker. P. S- Dudley, Harness Maker. 

William Heaslet, Gunsmith. G- Sterns, Spoke Factory and 

Turning Lathe. 

Milliners. 

Mrs E. A. Crossett. Mrs. Montgomery. 



GENERAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY. 

ALLEN, W. C., County Treasurer. 

AUSTIN, G. A, & CO., Flouring Mills. 

BACON, E. H., Contractor and Builder. 

Bruckman, John, Contractor and Builder. 

Bradshaw, C. B., Carpenter and Joiner. 

Bacon, William, Carpenter and Joiner. 

Burgess & Garside, Wagon and Carriage Makers, Second street. 

Bruley, Emery, Blacksmith, Second street. 



-i(*> American Sketch Booh. 

Breed, Charles, Carpenter and Joiner. 

Bruley, John, Mason. 

CROWNS, J. II., Photographer, Second street. 

Crowns, Miss Maggie, Assistant with J. II. Crowns- 
Clark County Bank, Tolling, Wood & Company, Bankers. 
CRANDALL, W. C, M. D., Druggist, East street. 
Campbell, "William, Book-keeper. 
Churchill, Ira, Painter and Grainer. 

Campbell, Watson & Ilommel, Wagon and Blacksmith shop, Second St. 
Cross, Alex., Saloon, East street. 

Crossett, Mrs. E. A., Milliner, Hair Dresser and Dressmaker, Third 
street. 

DEWHURST & HUTCHINSON, Real Estate Abstract Office. 

Dewhurst & a Huntzicker, Loggers. 

DICKENSON, D., General Merchandise. 

Dudley, P. S., Harness Maker and Carriage Trimmer, East street. 

Dopp, C. B., Furniture Manufactory. 

Dean, James, Carpenter and Joiner. 

DuCate, Moses, Painter and Grainer. 

EVERETT, C, Boots and Shoes, East street. 

Kveiley, II. D., Contractor and Builder. 

FFKGUSON, James II., Postmaster, News Depot. 

FARNHAM, GEO. C, General Merchandise, East street. 

Follett, George I., Attorney at Law. 

Furlong, James, Furniture Dealer. 

GLASS, L. J., withMacBride & Allen. 

Gates & Head, Provision Store, East street. 

Grallaher, L. W.,iPlaning Mill, Sash, Door, Blind and Stave Factory. 

Gipple, George, Clerk O'Neill House. 

Grousbeck, G. W., Tanner and Glover. 

IlnFFMAN, E. L., Editor Clark County Press. 

HEWETT & WOODS, Corner Third and Fast streets, Logs, Lumber 

and General Merchandise. 
Hendren, W.^T«, Pastor Presbyterian Church. 
Hutchinson, \V. T., Register of Deeds. 
Heaslet, William, Dealer in Guns and Ammunition. 

JASEPII, S. P., Harness Maker, East Street. 
Johnson, Hans, O'Neill House Proprietor. 



Business Directory. 217 

JOHNSON, T., Jeweller, East street. 
Jones, J. B., Book-keeper with Hewett & Woods. 
Jones, Ira B., Clerk in W. C. Crandall's Store. 
KIRKLANB, FRANK S., Cashier Clark County Bank. 
KOUNTZ, W. H., Grocer, East street. 
KLOPF, FRED., Dry Goods and Groceries, East street. 
King, R. R., Clerk Circuit Court and Telegraph Operator. 
Keam, Charles, Merchant Tailor. 
Keys, George, Tinner. 
King, Ed., Mason. 
Lynch, W,, Contractor and Builder. 
L ACEY, J. C. Jr, Physician and Druggist, East street. 
LLOYD, GEORGE L., Dealer in Hardware, East street. 
Larsen, E., Shoemaker with A. Peterson. 
Lindly, D. T., Editor Republican. 
Lee, F. A., Salesman at Hewett & Wood's. 
MAC BRIDE & ALLEN, Real Estate and Abstract Office. 
Markey, E. H., Livery Stable. 
MacBride, R. J., Attorney at Law. 
MARSHALL, J. II., Hardware Merchant. 
Mathews, George, Cabinet Maker. 
Montgomery, Mrs., Milliner. 

Merritt, Ed. E-, Proprietor Clark County Republican. 
Maffatt, A, R., Meat Market and Provision Store- 
Montgomery, Contractror and Builder. 
Myers, Henry, Proprietor O'Neill House- 
NEVERMAN & SONTAG, Brewers. 
Neverman & Streif Meat Market. 

O'NEILL, JAMES, Village Proprietor, Lumberman and Logger. 
O'NEILL, JAMES, Attorney at Law. 

PETERSON, ANDREW, Boot and Shoe store, Second street. 
Payn, W- F., Blacksmithing, Second street. 

RING, M. C, Attorney at Law, East street. 
Ross, Robert, Lumberman. 
Riedel, August, Miller at Austin & Co's Mill. 
Reddan, Mrs- James II., Boarding House, Third street, 
Robinson & Brother, Blacksmiths. 
ROSSMAN, JACOB, Saloon and Hotel. 
Reddan, James H. County Surveyor of Clark County. 
26 



218 American Sketch Book. 

SCH1 STER, II., Clerk with Dewhurst & Butohinaon. 
Sawyer, It. J., County Superintendent of Schools. 
Staring, Henry, Painter and Grainer. 

TIBBBTTS, MRS. BEBTHA, Restaurant, East street. 

:•. II E!., Jeweler, Second street. 
Troga lorf & Schoenengarth, Shoemakers, Second street. 

u, Peter, Painter and Grainer. 
Tolford, J. W., Livery Stable. 
WELLS, 0. P., Express Agent 
Wheeler, Rev. B. E., Pastor M. E. Church. 

YOUMANS, C. A., Salesman. 



Public School. 

C. E. MILLER, Principal. 

Mrs. M. E. Tompkins, First Intermediate Department. 
Miss Ella Morris, Second Intermediate Department. 
.Miss Louisa Cramer, First Primary Department. 



Secret Societies. 

Neillsville Lodge, No. 1G3, A. F. & A. M. Regular communica- 
tions, first and third Thursdays of each month. J. II. Thayer, 
Sec'y; George C. Farnam, W. M. 

Pine Valley Encampment, No. 44, 1. 0. 0. F., Institute 1 at Staf- 
fordville, Clark County, in 1871, afterwards removed to this village 
Is in a flourishing condition, having a membership of forty in good 
standing. Meetings second and fourth Fridays of each month. \Y. 
T. Hutchinson, C. P. J. W. Ferguson, Scribe. 

Neillsville Lodge No. 198, I. 0. 0. F. Instituted at Neillsville in 
18*3 I, is in ;i very flourishing condition, having a membership of nine- 
ty-eight, in good standing, and a large surplus in the treasury. It is 
the intention of this Lodge to build a large brick hall the coming 
summer, which will add much to the appearance of the village. This 
Lodge has paid out in sick benefits, since its organization, over $300. 
Hall on Third Btreet, meetings every Saturday evening. The officers 
J W. Ferguson, N. G., Ed. Parker, V. G.. L. .1. Glass, R. 8., 
J. V. King, P. 8., W. T. Hutchinson, D. I). Gh M. 

Hercules Lo Ige, No. 181, I. 0. 0. F. This Lodge is the pioneer 
lodge of the county, having been established at Slaflbrdville iu lbll. 



Looking for Flowers. 2 1 9 

afterwards removed to Neillsville, and again removed to Greenwood, 
where it is now located. This is a thrifty Lodge, consisting of sixty- 
five members, all of whom are good men. Meetings Saturday Eve- 
nings. JohnM. Hoyt, N. G. 



Neillsville Telegraph Company. 

Jones Tompkins, President. 

Frank Kirkland, Secretary. 

James O'Neill, Jr., Treasurer. 

R. R King, Operator. 
Office over Farnham's store. Connects with Northwestern Tele- 
graph Company at Black River station, on Green Bay Railroad. 
Local rates, thirty-five cents for ten words. 



L(Ookii\^ ioi c ^lowerU 



Little maiden in the forest, — 

Forest gloomy, cold and dark, 
Where the weeds were breathing poison, 

And the thorns were sharp and rank, 

Culling, here and there, a flower, 

Hid thaf tangled moss among ; 
And the air was filled with music 

Of the merry song she sung. 

Happy child ! Oh ! it were better, 

In this wilderness of ours, 
Where the weeds grow rank about us. 

If we sought for nought but flowers. — bonnibel. 



]Sfeill£ville, Wij^oi^iiv 

HISTORICAL HJvlKTC**. 



IT IS remarkable 'with what rapidity facts and historical data of 
every kind, pass into the abyses of the buried past, and the realm 
of the unknown, unless gathered by some careful hand, cut in marble, 
or written on parchment and preserved for coming generations. Time 
is a slow but certain tomb-builder. The histories of families are 
striking examples ; how few know anything about their ancestry be- 
yond their grand parents ! The writer confesses that his knowledge 
goes no farther. Yet, how interesting it would be could we go back 
ten, fifteen or twenty generations and trace our lineage down ! — go 
back to a time when our ancestors were pirates prowling about Britain, 
or knights, making their country famous by their exploits, avenging 
wrong, inspired by the spiritual presence of some Dulcinea del Toboso. 
And so with the history of places. The founding of Rome is wrapt 
in the mist of tradition. The story of Romulus and Remus, and the 
flight of the vultures, belong to an ante-historical period. I am not 
to write the history of a place which now gives promise of playing so 
important a part in the history of the world as the'city of Seven Hills, 
but it must be remembered that men's vision of the future is exceed- 
ingly limited, and stranger things have happened than that the beau- 
tiful village, which is the subject of this sketch, should at some time 
be as famous as the Eternal City on the Tiber. 

Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin, was first settled by three 
brothers, James, Henry and Alexander O'Neill, in 1844. These 
three men were born and raised in the town of Lisbon, St. Lawrence 
County, New York, about nine miles below Ogdensburg, on the river 
St. Lawrence. Thej had left their home some years before, and had 
beeo prospecting in the West with varying success. .James had spent 

BOOM time in Louisiana and Mississippi. -lames and Alexander 

O'Neill left Prairie da Chien in September, L889, in a large cat , 

and came up the Mississippi and the Black rivers, arriving at what is 



Neillsville, Wisconsin. 221 

now Black River Falls, in the same month. They located and built a 
saw mill three miles below the Falls, on a creek on the east side of 
the river. The mill was operated by them for about eight years- 

In 1844, Henry O'Neill and E. L. Brockway started up the river, 
prospecting, and selected, for a mill site, the spot on O'Neill Creek 
where Neillsville is now situated, being the northwest quarter of sec- 
tion fourteen, town twenty-four, range two, west of the fourth prin- 
cipal meridian. Brockway still lives at Little Falls, Jackson County, 
Wisconsin. These three O'Neills immediately set to work building a 
mill on the same spot where the saw mill now stands. The creek was 
then much narrower than it is now, the action of the water having 
worn away the banks, and made what is now a large pond. The first 
building erected in Neillsville was a log house about eighteen by 
twenty-four feet, built on the bank of the creek, near the mill. It 
stood about midway between what is now G- A. Austin & Co's mill, 
and the slide in the dam for the passage of logs. This house was oc- 
cupied about two years, when a frame house was built where the resi- 
dence of James O'Neill now is. Soon after the water undermined the 
banks, and the first building tumbled into the creek. Sic transit 
prima aedicula. 

A small clearing was made in the fall of 1844 on the banks of the 
creek ; timber was got out, and the mill was completed in the fall of 
1845. It was twenty-two feet wide by forty-four feet long, and stood 
where the saw mill now stands. It remained about fifteen years, dur- 
ing which time certain additions were made. Its capacity was about 
three thousand feet of lumber in twelve hours. Pine logs of first 
quality were to be obtained easily, all along O'Neill Creek, and could 
be floated directly down to the mill. Government had then made no 
survey of the lands into sections, and stumpage cost very little. The 
lumber was rafted in platforms at the foot of the mill, then run to 
the mouth of the creek, about one hundred rods, where ten platforms 
were arranged in a more compact and solid manner, and combined 
in rafts which usually contained about ten thousand feet. There are 
many rapids between Neillsville and Black River Falls, and the rafts 
were sometimes smashed to pieces. Having reached the Falls, 
these rafts, were then combined into large ones, containing from 
forty to fifty thousand feet, and thence run to the Mississippi River. 
The rafts on the Mississippi sometimes contained a half million feet. 
James O'Neill, who was then unmarried, spent a part of his time at 
Neillsville, and the other pare at the Falls. Henry lived at Neills- 



222 Amtrican Sketch Book. 

ville, and Alexander kept a lumber yard at Burlington, Iowa. For 
three years these three brothers continued the business in this way. 
Lumber in Burlington brought them about ten dollars per thousand; 
quite a contrast between those prices and the prices of to-day. 

In 1858, James O'Neill bought out the interest of his brothers in 
the business at Neillsville. Henry and Alexander then removed to 
what is now Chippewa City, and built a mill there. Some years 
afterward they sold out to Manahan & Lockhart. The same mill 
property is now owned by the Stanley Brothers. Both of these old 
settlers of Clark County died many years ago. 

During those early days, game of all kind was abundant ; deer, 
wolves, otter, mink, beaver, marten and partridges were very plenty. 
Deer could be shot from the door of O'Neill's house, and wolves would 
frequently chase them around into the clearing, the deer sometimes 
taking refuge in the creek behind the dam. Partridges were almost 
as plenty as chickens in a farmer's barn-yard. 

The Indians who inhabited what is now Clark County, were the 
Chippewas. The dividing line between them and the Winnebagoes on 
the south, was nearly at the confluence of the East Fork with the 
Black River. They brought in deer skins and moccasins and traded 
them for pork and flour. They excelled the Winnebagoes in cleanli- 
ness and intelligence ; they were not vicious nor dangerous, and their 
chief sometimes boasted that none of his tribe ever shed white man's 
blood. They were given to stealing, and had to be closely watched 
on this account. 

In those days, provisions of all kinds were brought up Black River 
in boats. Gradually time was found to clear up farms, and to raise 
grain, but for many years, boats poled up the rapids, were the means 
of conveying supplies. 

The first dance ever held in Clark County was on the evening of 
Christmas, 1846. It was held in a frame house, which stood where 
James O'Neill's residence now is. This was the first frame house of 
the place, and was twenty-two feet wide by thirty feet long ; the cel- 
lar was walled up with red-oak timber, some of which, much decayed, 
now lies near the mill pond. Nearly all the people on Black River 
attended this dance, which was given by •lames O'Neill, who was still 
unmarried. One Kennedy and his wife kept the house. Among 
those present were the following : W. T. Price, Jacob Spaulding, 
Thomas Robert, and Mark Douglass, • Jonathan Nichols, Mr. Yeatman, 
Mr. Van Au9tin, Joseph Stiokney and Alonzo Stickney, Thomas 



Neillsville, Wisconsin. 223 

Sturges, B. F. Johnson, Ben and Samuel Wright and their two sisters? 
Levi Avery, who now keeps a furniture store at Black River Falls, 
Susan Stickney, Mrs. Van Austin and daughter, Jane Van Austin, 
Lucinda Nichols, Isabella and Jane Douglass. Hudson Nichols and 
Jim Bennett were the fiddlers. Some came as far as from where 
Melrose, Jackson County now is. Robert and Thomas Douglass had 
a farm there, and came in sleighs on the ice up Black River. Having 
danced all night, and breakfasted, Mr. O'Neill hitched up his team 
and "went home with the gals in the morning," or, in a more prosaic 
form, drove with the party to Black River Falls. It is to be presumed 
that, as the sleighs glided down beneath the branches, which, silvered 
with frost, over-reached Black River, on that lovely Christmas morn- 
ing, the maidens were as happy, and their lover's hearts were as 
strongly moved by the tender passion, as are those of lovers to-day, 
when the forests have given way to beautiful farms and thriving vil- 
lages. Heaven is within us, not without. 

The nearest post office at that time was Prairie dn Chien. ' When- 
ever any one came from that place he brought the mail for all his friends. 

In 1846, Hamilton, McClum & Beebe built a saw mill on Cunning- 
ham Creek, two miles below Neillsville. In 1847, Jonathan Nichols 
built a saw mill on what is now called Cauley Creek, three miles above 
Neillsville. Merrick, Miller and Dibble built a mill on the main river, 
eleven miles below Neillsville, in 1847, and the next year, I think, Le- 
ander Merrill, Ben Merrill and John Lane built another mill, one mile 
below the latter place, and John Morrison built still another mill about 
the same time. During the same year, Van Dusen & Waterman built 
a mill eighteen miles above Neillsville, on the Black River. All these* 
proved bad speculations, as the expense of getting the lumber to the 
Mississippi was very great, and the price was low. Of these lumbermen 
mentioned, it is believed that James O'Neill is the only one remaining 
in Clark County. Leander and Ben Merrill still live at Merrillan, 
Avhich is named after them. They have amassed considerable wealth, 
and are extensively engaged in business at the latter place. Samuel 
Ferguson, an old settler, a blacksmith by trade, still resides at Neills- 
ville. Nearly all the others named are dead. 

The mill on Cunningham Creek was purchased by Moses Clark. An 
altercation between Clark and one William Paulley, took place in Neills- 
ville, in the store of Clinton & Quail. Paulley shot Clark, who lingered 
some time, but who finally died at Plattville, Grant County, Wisconsin, 
whither he had been taken for surgical treatment. Paulley was indicted 



•j-_M American Sketch Booh 

for manslaughter, tried and convicted. lie served out his sentence a! 
Waupun, and afterwards died at Black River Falls. 

In L850, there was only fifty acres cleared where Neillsville now 

stands. This clearing extended up the hill including the ground where 
the school-house dow stands, ami where the residences of R, .1 Mac- 
Bride and George G. Farnham are situated. The growth since then 
lias been Bteady ami parallel with tlic development of the county. It 
will he impossible for the writer to follow a strictly chronological plan 

in the presort sketch, and the reader, therefore, will not expect it. An 
attempt will simply he made to throw together some information, which 
may he interesting to old settlers and to the young, who would know 
BOmething of the early history of the place. 

Neillsville has always been a lumbering town, and a centre of opera- 
tion- for lumbermen. An immense amount of pine has been cut from 
the forests of the county, which has all found its way out by the Black 
River ami its tributaries. This business has. Decessarily brought much 
money to Neillsville. Indeed, until very lately, the entire business of 
the place may he said to have been founded upon lumbering. As we 
have before said, lumber already sawed was run down Black River he- 
fore lo;_ r s. These rafts frequently meeting with accidents, another plan 
was taken. The logs wire ripped into cants about six inches thick, and 
floated down the river in this form. Logs were first run in 1853 ; the 
cants then becoming mixed with the logs so that it was difficult to saep- 
rate them, the running of the former was discontinued. Previous to 
that time there had heen quite a trade in shinnies, which was more 
profitable than the running of either logs or cants, because they always 
found a ready market. 

The county of Clark was organized in 1858. Neillsville was laid 
out. and plotted in L855, by a surveyor named Allen Boardman, .lames 
O'Neill being the proprietor. In 1853, Samuel Weston came from 
Maine, ami engaged iii running logs down Black River. A village 

was -tailed two miles ahove Neillsville, on Black River, and named 
Weston, in his honor. By some maneuvering of "Weston, in the act 

organizing the county, the place named for him, ami not Neillsville, was 

named as the county -eat. A .Mr. GribsOD was at that time the member 
of assembly representing Clark County, and he was very friendly to 

Mr. O'Neill, and through him an act of the legislature was passed, au- 
thorizing the people to vote on a change of the county seat from We tOD 

to the northwest quarter of section fourteen, town twenty-four, range 
fuur, west, where Neillsville i« now situated. 



JSFeillsville, Wisconsin. 225 

The election took place in November, 1854. There was naturally a 
great struggle between O'Neill and Weston, for it was evident that 
the relative prominence of the two places would depend very much 
upon the result of the election. There was then but one town in the 
county, Pine Valley ; there were, however, two polling places, one at 
Neillsville, and the other at the house of one Parker, who kept a hotel 
about eleven mile3 below Neillsville, on Black River. There was no 
bridge across O'Neill creek, and the voters crossed on the dam. It is 
said that ofie, B. F. French, who is probably still remembered by some 
of the old settlers, suggested an excellent plan of operation to secure 
a majority vote for Neillsville. His idea finely conceived, was to place 
a barrel of whisky on the north bank of O'Neill creek, just at the 
end of the dam. Weston's men would all come that way, and it was 
believed would not resist the temptation to indulge in the ardent be- 
fore voting. By judicious management, they could be made so merry 
that it would be dangerous to navigate the narrow dam, and so the 
men would remain on the north side, and not be able to cast their votes 
The writer hereof will not insist, as a matter of history, that Neills- 
ville owes its present importance to French's whisky barrel scheme, 
but merely mentions the idea as a tradition still current, and as illus- 
trative of the shrewdness which has always characterized the esteemed 
gentleman referred to. It is presumed that some voters were imported 
on both sides, as quite a large number of men were then in the county 
temporarily working in the camps. I. S. Mason and C. W.. Hutchin- 
son had camps on Wedge's creek, and their men all came in and voted 
in favor of the location at Neillsville. The number of votes cast at 
the latter place was one hundred and four, and resulted in a majority 
of four for Weston. The whole vote cast at Parker, twenty-one, was 
in favor of Neillsville, and decided the issue, making the majority in 
favor of the latter place seventeen. While Neillsville would have 
been a center of operations for lumbermen, regardless of its being so 
selected, yet it is doubtless very true that its prosperity has been much 
increased by its being the county seat. 

Clinton & Quail were the first merchants in the place, locating in 
1856. In the same year, Reuben Roik started the first hotel. The 
growth of the place since then has been steady, until it has reached 
the dimensions which we see to-day. In the further progress of our 
narrative, we shall abandon the chronological and adopt a plan refer- 
ring more to things and their necessary connection with each other 
than to time. This, it is believed, will be more interesting to the 
27 



2 2 6 Anu ru a n Sketch Booh. 

reader, and will certainly save much time and trouble to the writer. 
We Bhall Grst prooeed to notice some of the early settlers, and in 
doing BO we foresee that it will be impracticable to notice all, and it 
is verv possible that when we have concluded our sketch, we shall be 
guilty in sins of omission, rather than commission. 

The founder of the place, and the one who has done more than any 
body else to make Neillsville what it i^, has already received consider- 
able notice. As his biography is to form a part of the contents of the 
current number of the SKETCH BOOK, it will be unnecessary to say 
much further of him in this connection. It may be remarked that his 
daughter Belle, now the wife of W. S. Covill, Esq., was the first white 
child born in Neillsville and in Clark county, She was born March 
6th, 1849. Mr. O'Neill has done much to increase the prosperity of 
the place by gifts of grounds for the court house, school house and 
Methodist church, and by building a large and commodious hotel 
which bears his name. 

R. Dewdmrst and G. W. King came to Neillsville together, in 1856. 
Dewhurst had read law in Ohio, at Illyria, with Philoem Bliss, after- 
ward Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri. They started 
a law office soon after their arrival, their office being situated in a 
building which stood near the gate in front of the present residence 
of James O'Neill- Dewhurst taught the first winter school ever 
taught at Weston, during the winter of 1856-7. King was elected 
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, in the fall of 1858, and at the 
same election Dewhurst was elected Register of Deeds and member of 
Assembly. He had previously been chosen County Judge, in which 
capacity, the writer is informed, the most important act he ever per- 
formed, was to walk from Neillsville to Loyal, a distance of twenty 
miles, to unite two loving hearts in the bonds of matrimony. Dew- 
hurst was again elected to the Assembly in 1874, which position ho 
now holds. lie has been extensively engaged in lumbering, and owns 
much valuable pine and agricultural lands in Clark county. All who 
know him regard him as an honest and excellent gentleman, and, al- 
though from the prominent position he has taken in politics, be baa, 
naturally, incurred some enmity, yet his political enemies concede bis 
many sterling qualities. Mr. King removed, some yens Bince, to 
Elumbird, Wisoonsin, where he now lives. He i- extensively engaged 
in lumbering, owning what is known as King's Mill, on the direct road 
from Neillsville to Ilumbird, and being also interested in a large mill 
on the Mississippi. 



Neillsville, Wisconsin. 227 

Robert Ross came to Neillsville in November, 1848, from Canada. 
He brought with him two sovereigns and a half, lent them to one 
Baker, and never got them back. The first three years he made 
shingles, which was then a good business, as shingles were a legal 
tender. Since then he has been extensively engaged in lumbering. 
Some years since he removed to La Crosse, but in the autumn of 1874 
returned to his farm, about a mile from Neillsville. He is now con- 
sidered one of the wealthy men of the place, owning much valuable 
pine land. 

James Hewett came to Clark 'County in 1858, from Essex county, 
New York. He worked by the day on Black River bridge, opposite 
what is now known as Arch Day's hotel, during the winter of 1856-7, 
and during the winter of 1857-8 he worked on Wedge's creek for 
Major Wedge, at thirty dollars per month. The next summer he had 
to go to Black River Falls, saw lumber and run it to Galena to get 
his pay. Upon his return from this trip he was taken down with 
fever and ague, which continued three months. Upon recovering, he 
had not a dollar left, but he had something more valuable than money 
— indomitable pluck and perseverance. On the eighth day of January, 
1859, he formed a partnership with Chauncey Blakeslee and 0. S. 
Woods, under the firm name of Hewett, Woods & Co. This firm 
continued about ten years- Woods went to La Crosse in 1867, and 
attended to the business of the firm in that place, and in 1869 Blakes- 
lee withdrew and went to Sparta to reside. The firm bought a steam 
tug in 1870, and another in 1872, for the purpose of towing rafts on 
the Mississippi river. The magnitude of the business of this firm will 
be seen when it is stated that from the year 1868 to 1873 they put 
into Black River from eighteen to twenty-five millions of pine logs 
per annum, averaging in value, at the mouth of Black River, about 
twelve dollars per thousand feet. During the summer of 1872, they 
erected at Neillsville a handsome brick store, which cost about ten 
thousand dollars. Mr. Hewett built an elegant residence in the place 
in the summer of 1874, costing about the same amount. The firm of 
Hewett & Woods is regarded as one of the most stable business houses 
in the Northwest. Mr. Hewett is a man of very peculiar bearing. 
When the writer was first introduced to him, he was impressed with 
the idea that Mr. Hewett was a man lacking in energy and business 
ability ; yet this could not be, for here before my eyes were to be seen 
the fruits of persistent industry and prudent management. Few men 
blunder into prosperity and wealth. Mr. Hewett's quiet and unos- 



228 American Sketch Boole. 

tentatious way does not favorably impress upon first acquaintance, 
but a better knowledge of the man will convince you that there are 
much careful thought and penetration into the nature and relation of 
things behind that quiet exterior. Mr. "Woods is a pleasant gentle- 
man, and his Frendfl are many wherever he is known. 

William T. Hutchinson came to Neillsville, October fifteenth, 1857, 
fr.»m \\ aukeeha county, Wisconsin, but was formerly from Delaware. 
At an early day, he was appointed postmaster at Pleasant Ridge, and 
was afterwards postmaster at Neillsville, from 1865 to 1871. lie was 
elected Register of Deeds in 1805, to which office he has been three 
times re-elected. lie fills every position he holds with credit to him- 
self and satisfaction to the people. No man is more certainly to be 
found at his post. For some years he has been in partnership with 
Judge Dewhurst, in the real estate business. 

David II. Robinson, a native of Maine, emigrated to Wisconsin in 
184-1, locating in Washara county, from which place became to Neills- 
ville in 1852. Up to 1859, he was engaged in logging. He also kept 
a hotel at Weston from 18G3 to 1868. Since then he has turned his 
attention to fanning. Having received a good education when young, 
he has been well fitted for the numerous and important positions of 
public trust to which he has been called. 

F. G. Cawley came to this place in 1853, when quite a boy. For 
the last fifteen years he has filled the position of constable, in which 
capacity he is said to be expert, as well in evading as in obtaining 
service of process. His experience in running off cows, picking black- 
berries, Saturday afternoons, until the small hours of midnight, and 
the like, would fill a volume, and for further information we refer the 
reader to "Follett on Tricks," with American notes by Doc. French. 
His father, Samuel Cawley, settled here some years before his son. 
From him Cawley Creek took its name. He still lives at Weston. 

W. W. Lemon arrived in Clark county from Canada, October 13th, 
His residence since then has been in the town of Levis, but 
as he is so well known by other old settlers, he is mentioned in this 
connection. He has been Town Treasurer six years, and has held 
other positions of trust. He still lives in Levis, and is now projtrictor 
of the Wedge Creek House. 

Samuel !•'. Ferguson, located in Neillsville in the fall of 1S1.~>. He 
had lived t\\ () years previous at Black River Falls, and on Black River. 
He iras horn in Ohio, ;ind thence removed to Pennsylvania. He had 
gone down, in the summer of 1845, with .James O'Neill, with a raft to 



Neillsville^ Wisconsin. 229 

Burlington, Iowa, where O'Neill purchased blacksmith tools. These 
were conveyed up Black River to Neillsville, where Mr. Furguson 
started a blacksmith shop. He made the irons for the first saw mill. 
The only house in the place was O'Neill's house, heretofore mentioned 
as being the first erected in Neillsville. About twelve or fifteen slept 
in this shanty, twelve feet wide by sixteen feet long. Ferguson bored 
two holes in a log, stuck two pins in, laid pieces of boards across, and 
this constituted his bed during the winter. From that day to this, he 
has had a blacksmith shop in or about Neillsville. He sits before the 
writer as he pens these lines, a man of sixty-six years, and still quite 
vigorous and healthy. 

William Ferguson, or as better known, Uncle Billy Ferguson, a 
brother to Samuel F., came to Neillsville about the same time as his 
brother. He was known as a hunter, in which ocupation he spent the 
greater portion of his time. He resided in or near this place until his 
death, which occurred in 1871. 

James W. Ferguson, a nephew of the two brothers mentioned, came 
to this place April 23d, 1854. His uncle Samuel could not find a 
wife to suit him in Clark county, and had visited Pennsylvania in 
search of one, in which pursuit he succeeded. James W. then ac- 
companied his uncle on his return. Since then he has resided here, 
excepting four years, from November 1861 to October 1865, which 
time he spent in the army. He has held the position of postmaster 
in Neillsville since 1871. 

Daniel Gates, from Essex county, New York, removed to Clark 
county in 1856, locating at the mouth of Wedge's creek, where he 
kept hotel for five years. In 1861, he came to this place, leased the 
building which is now occupied by Gates & Head as a meat market, 
from C. Blakeslee, and opened a hotel, which he kept one year. The 
next year he moved to where he now lives. From 1862 to 1868 he 
was engaged in logging. He has been Sheriff two years, Justice of 
the Peace four years, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors one term, 
and is now President of the Clark County Agricultural Society. His 
partner in the meat business, Joseph Head, Esq., came to this place 
from Monroe county, Wisconsin, in 1867. The firm now do an ex- 
tensive and profitable business, and are regarded as among the sound- 
est and best houses in the place. 

James W. Sturdevant came to this place in the fall of 1848, from 
Lee county, Iowa. His birth-place was Pennsylvania. At this time 



-30 American Sketch Booh. 

he <li«l not come to stay. He returned again in 1854, and has resided 
here ever since, except an absence <>f about a year in Washington 
Territory in 1874. He was married and had four children when he 
came to Neillsville, viz., Robert, James, Rufus and Marshall. Rol 

who studied law with his uncle. B. F. French, and afterwards held the 
position of District Attorney of Clark county, removed in the fall of 
\^~-\ to Washington Territory, where he is now engaged in the prac- 
tice of his profession. Rufus now holds the office vacated by his 
brother, and is engaged in the practice of his profession and lumber- 
ing. Their father has generally devoted bis time to agricultural pur- 
suits, but has also spent much time in keeping bees. For many years 
he has had an average of about one hundred swarms. lie has re- 
turned from the Pacific coast, and now lives on his firm, one mile 
south of Neillsville. 

James French, a brother of B. F. French, and brother-in-law of 
J. W. Sturdevant, came here in 1848, and has lived most of the time 
since on his farm, about five miles south of Neillsville. He has been 
engaged both in lumbering and farming. He now resides in Neillsville. 

The newspaper history of Clark county is full of interesting events 
and spicy incidents, and if faithfuly given would add much to the 
value of this sketch. Innsarly all the local party strifes that have 
taken place since the first newspaper was started, the press and its 
manager have taken a conspicuous part, and there is hardly a promi- 
nent citizen who has not been active in the development and support 
of one or more newspaper enterprises. The disposal of the official 
printing patronage of the county, became the issue at elections, and 
men voted for such candidates as would promise to give the printing 
to the journal of their choice. The writer regrets that the brief time 
afforded has prevented his giving much desirable information on this 
subject, and in attempting to give even a partial history, it can only 
be done, in a rather incoherent manner, for want of dates in many 
instances. 

The first introduction of the press into Clark county, was attended 
with many of the trials and difficulties that beset the path of pioneers 
in whatever occupation they engage. Beriah Brown, Chairman of 
the Democratic State Central Committee, iirst corresponded with par- 
ties her<' in regard to the matter. This was in the fall of 1^">»>, and 

before the following spring, William 0. Tompkins, who had been pub' 
lishing a paper with poor success at Weyauwega, made his appearance 

at Neillsville, with press and type. lie had come "overland" through 



JVeittsville, Wisconsin. 231 

woods, a distance of nearly one hundred miles, bringing the material 
loaded upon wagons. The country west of here, then was, for the 
most part of the way, an almost unbroken wilderness. How he ever 
get through with safety, will probably always remain a mystery. The 
first number of the paper was issued in March, 1857, and was called 
the " Clark County Advocate." It wag a little "seven-by-nine" 
sheet, but in size and appearance compared very favorably with its 
surroundings. The public printing was about the only item of reve- 
nue, but it was abundant, and the future looked promising. The great 
political changes throughout the country about that time, had their 
effect in this remote corner of the world, and the next September, 
Tompkins, with not a very high regard for Beriah Brown's kind inter- 
vention in his behalf, changed the politics of the paper from Demo- 
cratic to Republican. This, with other causes of a local nature, set 
things to working in the community. A spirit of opposition to the 
paper began to show itself, probably owing more to the desire of others 
to get hold of the "pap," than anything else. Rumors of starting 
another paper became unpleasantly current, so far as Tompkins was 
concerned. Tompkins was quite small in physical stature, and was 
quick, active and impulsive. He became conspicuous, of course, in « 
local politics. Some of the contests that were waged between the 
contending forces of the little band of settlers were made memorable 
for their fierce, uncompromising character. The opposing party 
finally succeeded, and Tompkins quietly sold out his office one day to 
J. S. Dore and S. W. Dickinson, the former a school teacher, and the 
latter a young practicing attorney, both of Avhorn having had for some 
time a kind of longing for the pecuniary benefits derived from the 
publication of huge tax lists, not saying what literary aspirations they 
may have fondly cherished. B. F. French, the recognized 
leader of the opposition faction, (the parties had become mere factions) 
was chiefly instrumental in bringing about the purchase. It was re- 
garded as a nice little piece of strategy, for it robbed the other party 
of their organ, and turned their own guns upon them. James O'Neill 
and C. Blakeslee, the leading spirits of the Tompkins party, soon 
learned what had been done, and made Tompkins refuse to deliver 
up the office. A formal demand was made by Dore & Dickinson of 
A. J. Manley, an employe in the office, who gave them a pretty em- 
phatic answer in the negative. It is said that he assumed a threatening 
and beligerent attitude, which had such a remarkable impression upon 
the minds of the two D'sthat they concluded at once not to take the 



American Sketch Book. 

office then, and accordingly departed without needless ceremony. An 
notion of replevin was commenced, but the suit has never terminated. 

An old office was purchased in Trempealeau, the material removed 
to Neillsville, and on the 14th of October, 1801, a new paper was 
brought out by Dore & Dickinson, under the pretentious but highly 
patriotic title of "Union Flag," Then began a journalistic and per- 
sonal warfare of intense bitterness, that continued unceasingly until 
Tomjkins sold out and left the county, in the spring of 1803. A- J. 
Manley, then a lieutenant in the Fourteenth Wisconsin Regiment, was 
supposed to be the proprietor, but until his return, in 1805, the paper 
was conducted by C. W. Carpenter. Meantime Dickinson retired from 
the "Flag," and removed to Sparta. During the period between 1801 
ai '1 1865 one paper or the other would take an occasional resting spell, 
and raspend for awhile, owing generally to the bad fortunes of party. 

The county election in the fall of 1801 was hotly contested, for it 
was a question of life or death with each paper. It was decided in 
favor of the "Advocate," and the "Flag" stopped waving in Febru- 
ary. F. Cooper became associated with C. Manley in the spring of 
1865, and remained until the fall of 1800, when he sold out and be- 
came the publisher of the "Banner" at Black River Falls- Manley 
ran for the office of County Treasurer, in the fall of 1800, but he 
and his whole ticket were badly defeated. 

Preparations were begun by J. Dore for the publication of the "Clark 
County Journal," audit finally made its appearance on January .'51st, 
18G7, with the names of J. S. Dore and E. E. Merritt as editors and 
proprietors. It was an eight column paper, and in size and appear* 
ance, at least, was a marked improvement upon any former publica- 
tion in the county, Manley and his friends had received satisfactory 
assurance that Mcintosh, his successful opponent for the office of 
Treasurer, would give his printing to the "Advocate." The starting 
of the "Journal," however, was full of significance, and it became a 
question of grave doubt whether Mcintosh was sincere in liis 
promises or not In the spring, when the time arrived for printing 
the list of lands, notices were sent to the publishers that the Treasurer 
would let the job to the lowest bidder. The official was desirous of 
showing no partiality in the bestowal of Ins patronage ! The pub 

lisheri met at the Treasurer*! office and began bidding,. "Jack," as 

Manley was familiarly called, looked all the time as if there IfSJ 
something back of this unusual proceeding that he could not under- 
stand, and Dore and the Treasurer were quite confident that he 



JVeillsville, Wisconsin. 238 

didn't ! The bids went down, down, with marvelous rapidity, until 
they bid a fraction of a cent, then of a mill, per description, and 
finally the merest fraction of a sum for the whole list. The affair 
soon made it evident that the one who possessed the greatest amount 
of mathematical talent would get the job by expressing in figures the 
smallest conceivable amount. The Treasurer hastened to District 
Attorney, French, and was informed that he could secure bids for the 
privilege of doing the job. " Fifty dollars ! " cried Dore. "One 
hundred dollars ! " yelled Jack, determined not to be outdone- " Two 
hundred dollars ! " shouted Dore. There was a heart dismayed, and 
Jack flew out of the office, realizing for the first time the cruel duplic- 
ity that had been practiced upon him. He learned too late that 
the bids were nothing but a sham, and that the county would be 
obliged to pay the legal rate under any circumstances. The fact was 
known to the others, while poor Jack was in dead earnest. 

About that time, Merritt left the " Journal," and went to St. Louis. 
Manley soon after stopped his paper, and removed the office to 
Minnesota, against the repeated protests of his many warm friends. 
The " Journal" had a clear field, but it did not last long. At the 
urgent request of many citizens, Merritt returned in September, 
bringing with him a new and complete outfit for another paper, and 
on the 25th of October, 1867, issued the first copy of the " Clark 
County Republican." H. H. Hand was associated with him for six 
Aveeks only, when he left a touching valedictory behind, and found his 
way back to St. Louis. The quarrels of former papers in the county 
were yet fresh in the memory of the public, and by common consent 
the "Journal" and "Republican " wisely refrained from inflicting 
upon their readers a repetition of it. Everything went on smoothly 
for two or three years. The election of 1868 was a complete triumph 
for the Republican party, and the new organ gained possession of the 
public "pap." For more than a-year, Joseph Benedict, a young man 
of ability and bright promise, had almost exclusive editorial control 
of the "Journal." He died in the year of 1870, deeply mourned by 
a host of friends. The "Journal" struggled hard to sustain itself 
during the two years of the " terrible privation" from the]' printing, 
and prepared for the most vigorous effort to win the election of 1870. 
Merritt took the United States census of the county that summer, 
and got Hand to comeback on the paper again. Hand ^was'out of 
his element if not quarreling with someone, and the consequence was 
that the two papeis were socn precipitated into a disgraceful fight. 
28 



•_'.". i American sketch Booh 

There was a general raking up of old sores, and county officials, can- 
didates and prominent men of all parties were hauled out before tin- 
public in Bhameful nowspaper tirades upon their personal character. 
There wag I feeling of relief when Hand bid us good bye once more. 
happened about two weeks before election, and was deemed ex- 
tremely necessary to the "Republican's" friends. There was no 
letting down, of course, at that stage of the game, and it was fought 
nut to the bitter end. The whole Republican ticket was elected, and 
the "Journal" immediately subsided. Dore was very confident of 
success up to the last moment, and defeat came upon him with crush- 
ing force. R.J. MacBride and G.J. Follett called upon him the 
next day to condole with him over his misfortunes. They found him 
sitting in profound silence, meditating upon the uncertainties of all 
human affairs, elbows resting upon his knees, head bent over and face 
covered by his hands. It was pitiful, but Follett unfeelingly said : 
" Dore, I hear it reported about that you are going to start a paper 
at Cataract." A nitro-glycerine explosion could not have been more 
efiective in starting Dore up with a bound, almost to the ceiling, 
" Godlelmity ! who told you that ? But I'll show you that I can run 
a newspaper here ! " 

The "Republican " flourished without opposition until June, 1873, 
when the " Clark County Press" was started by II. J. Hoffman, as 
the organ of the Reform party. The " Republican " was sold to C. 
J. Cooper, in March, 1873, and D. T. Lindley became its editor. 
The former gave up his interest in the paper in December last. Mr. 
Lindly at present has full management and control of the paper. Mr. 
Hoffman accepted a responsible position in the office of Secretary of 
State, last September, and was succeeded in the "Press" office by 
his brother, E. L. Hoffman. Both papers arc in a prosperous condi- 
tion, and in point of excellence rank with the best country papers in 
the state. 

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 

In l v IT, Rev. R. K. Wood, a Methodist minister, then preaching 
od the I'.lack Kiver Falls circuit, visited Neillsville as a guest of Hon. 
James O'Neill, and, during the visit, favored the little community with 
the first public religion! services ever held in the place. 

.Mr. Wood 18 well remembered by many of the old settlers OU Black 
River as S preacher of rather more than ordinary ability, and an ear« 

nest, industrious man. His field of labor was oertainlv not the most 
inviting, requiring bard work and no little self-sacrifice, but he 



iTeillsville, Wisconsin. 235 

cepted the circumstances as a matter of course, and did what he could 
to advance the cause of Christ. Although the immediate good results 
of his preaching were not sufficiently apparent to warrant him in be- 
coming vain-glorious, he was certainly well received by the people; 
his genial good humor making him a welcome visitor everywhere; even 
at lumbering camps, and among rafting crews, he was always greeted 
with the respect due a man of true Christian integrity. 

For several years no religious services were held in Neillsville, sav- 
ing such as, at rare intervals, was furnished by some clerical pilgrim 
paying tho place a chance visit, but whose names history provokingly 
refuses to reveal. The name of one, Pattee, however, has escaped ob- 
livion, a simple hearted, eccentric old man, a local preacher belonging 
to the United Brethren denomination, who had made a claim and 
built a cabin on what is now known as the " McAdams place," and 
"exercised his gifts" on all occasions when a congregation could be 
obtained. 

In 1858, the West Wisconsin Conference, held at La Crosse, ap- 
pointed Rev. James Cady to the Alma Circuit, and during the year 
Neillsville was made a regular appointment of that charge, having 
preaching once every three weeks. The first Methodist class consisted 
of James Lynch, Margaret Lynch, Mary A. Sturdevant and Jane 
O'Neill. Of these, all are now living in Neillsville, with the exception 
of Mrs. O'Neill, who died during the summer of '73, in full hope of a 
glorious immortality. Her loss will long be felt in the community 
where, for so many years, she was an earnest worker for the best in- 
terests of the church. 

Cady was succeeded in 1859 by Rev. John Holt, an earnest pioneer 
preacher of indomitable perseverence and untiring zeal, whose charge 
comprised a tract of country now embraced by half a dozen prosperous 
circuits — as large, in fact, as many presiding elders' districts of later 
date. He received from the NeilLsville appointment that year, $7- 50, 
which amount was paid in honey, gloves and stockings- Rev. L, R. 
Davis was his associate preacher. 

At the Northwest Wisconsin Conference, held at Sparta in 1860, 
Neillsville was made a circuit, and Rev. Wm. Carl appointed pastor. 
However well qualified this gentleman may have been for other walks 
of life, as a preacher he was not a success, and we find no record of 
any permanent growth or prosperity of the charge committed to his 
care. 

In '61,Neillsville became an appointment of Black River Falls cir- 



2 36 ^1 in i rial n Skc tch Book. 

euit, of which Rev. Win. H. Brocksome was pastor, who, owing no 
doabt to the great extent of his circuit visited this point but few 
times dining the year. In '62. he was reappointed to the circuit, but 
daring the year was removed, and Re?. J. W. Johnson was appointed 
hi- successor. Mr. Johnson visited Neillsrille but once during the 
year, and to those interested in the welfare of the church, his visit 
was a cause of greater regret than his subsequent absence. 

In '63, Neilleville became a circuit again, and Rev. A. G. Cooley 
was appointed preacher in charge. He remained but six months, 
leaving no record of any increase of membership or material prosper- 
ity during his administration. 

During the years of '04 and '05, the circuit was supplied by Rev. 
Il.mev Palmer, u a Father in Israel," who having served the church 
as an itinerant for years, had located, and was making in the woods 
of Clark County a home for his old age. Under his administration 
the bounds of the circuit were enlarged, new preaching places were 
added, and the membership somewhat increased. 

In '05, J. T. Lewis was appointed to the circuit. He labored un- 
der many discouragements during his stay, and left at the end of the 
year under the firm conviction that the denizens of Neillsville and vi- 
cinity ' ; loved darkness rather than light,because their deeds were evil." 

Lewis was succeeded in '07 by Rev. W. T. Boughton, who found 
as his predecessors had already done, no doubt a field of labor de- 
manding hard work and abundant faith. In spite of apparent defeat 
he was encouraged by some genuine conversions. 

During '08 and '09 Rev. J. J, Walker was pastor. By the liberal 
aid of the friends of the church he was enabled to build a plain but 
comfortable house of worship, locating it upon a most desirable lot, 
the generous gift of Mrs. James O'Neill. 

Walker was succeeded in 'TO by Rev. II, W. Bushnell, an able man 
who, winning the respect and co-operation of the community was en- 
abled to place the society upon a surer social and financial footing. 
Daring his stay of three years he was abundant in labors, which were 
not unrewarded by gratifying results. A burdensome church debt 
Liquidated, the parsonage re-modeled and much improved, and 
many additions made to the membership of the church. During his 
•rate the circuit was divided, the appointments of Loyal and 
Greenwood with their membership of fifty communicants forming a 
nucleus for an independent circuit, of which Rev. g. B. McLane w:is 
made pastor. 



JSTeillsville, Wisconsin. 237 

Bushnell was succeeded in '73 by Rev. Bert E. Wheeler, present 
pastor. The society at present is being somewhat increased by added 
membership, and bids fair to retain the position it has attained in the 
confidence of the community as a working branch of the church of 
Christ. 

The Methodist society has not been the only occupant of Neills- 
ville as a mission field, the Presbyterian denomination having been 
represented here at an early day by Rev. Mr. Harris, who was suc- 
ceeded, though not immediately, by Rev- Jas. Mair, who in turn was 
followed by Rev. W. T. Hendren, the present incumbent. That God's 
blessings may rest upon the labors of the Christian workmen in our 
frontier home, is the earnest prayer of all interested in the welfare of 
the cause of Christ and the salvation of men. 

The Presbyterian church of Neillsville was organized, October 27th, 
1872, by a committee of the Presbytery of Chippewa, assisted by the 
Rev. B. Gr, Riley, Synodical Missionary. On the same day, there 
were ordained, as ruling elders, Stephen Ritchey, Edward J. Rice and 
William Campbell. The number of members has increased from six- 
teen to twenty-six. 

The meeting for the organization was held in the court house, and 
from that time to this the meetings have been held in the same place. 
The church has become deeply impressed with the necessity of a house 
of worship, and a good lot on Third street, the very centre of the pop- 
ulation, has been secured and paid for: cost, $400. Some of the ma- 
terial is on the ground, and it is proposed very soon to erect a church 
of moderate size, that will be an ornament to the village. The Sun- 
day school was organized in June, 1873, and gives promise of steady 
growth and great usefulness. 

The minister is W. T. Hendren, a native of Ohio, who was or- 
dained in Columbus, Ohio, May 11th, 1864. He came to this place 
from Caledonia, Minnesota, May 20th, 1872. During the summer,he 
preached a few times for the minister of the M. E. church, but chiefly 
in many destitute neighborhoods in the surrounding country. Since 
the organization of the church, regular services have been held twice 
each alternate Sabbath. 



Skotcli o\ lion. J;m,cs O'Neill. 



The Bubj( it of our Bketcb, a cut of whoin appears in this work, was 
horn in the town of Lisbon, St. Lawrence county, New York, May 
4th, 1810. lli> father Andrew O'Neill was a native of Ireland, and 

listantly related to the famity of the same name, who have been 
possessed for many centuries of a vast estate around Lake Neagh, and 
whose members have been so famous in the political history of that 
country. 1 1 is family had always been Protestants and in the Irish 
wars took side of the English Kings. In his youth, he had received 
a University education. After the American revolution, and about 
the year 1785, he came to this country, going first to Washington, 
thence to New York, and finally to Canada. In Western New York, he 
iged for sometime in surveying. At Edwardsburg, Canada, 
he taught school, and about the year 1796 married a young lady who 
had been one of his pupils, and with her made the first settlement of 
the town of Lisbon, immediately opposite, on the banks of the St. 
Lawn 

James was the third of nine children. He resided at home until he 

eventeen, assisting his father in agricultural pursuits in summer, 

1 enough, and attending the district school in the winter. 

II" never received anything more then a district school education, his 

ger brothers faring better in this respect. At the age of seven- 
he went to live with his eldest brother, Thomas, who had en- 

1 in trade across the river, at Edwardsburg. Here he remained 

is brother's clerk two years. When about twenty years old he, 
in company with his younger brother, Alexander, lumbered on the 
American side of the river. In the spring of L831, they ran their 
timber down the liver to .Montreal. Upon James* return on the sec- 
ond day of August of the sani" year, he was taken down with fever, 

i which he did li"! reoover until winter. Having regained his 
health, he attended school during the winter, which was the last oppor- 
tunity of the kind he ever enjoyed, His brother John, now a wealthy 
merchant of Cleveland, Ohio, then Kept Btore at Ogdensburg, New 



Sketch of Ron. James O'Neill. 239 

York. James assisted hini as a clerk during most of the year of 1832. 
At the close of the same year, he went to Canada and engaged in 
lumbering on his own account for nearly four years. He would get 
out square timber in the winter and run it clown the Nation and St. 
Lawrence rivers in the summer to Quebec. For two years, this busi- 
ness proved profitable, but during the last he lost twelve hundred dol- 
lars, which was then his all. 

In the winter of 1835-6, he and his brothers, Henry and Alexander, 
both of whom have resided at Neillsville, and will be remembered by 
the early settlers, lumbered in Lisbon, N. Y., buying stumpage of 
Stephen Van Rennsalaer, and putting the timber into the St. Law- 
rence. In the spring of 1836, they rafted this and ran it to Quebec. 
Upon their return in Jane, 1836, James took steamer at Ogdensburg 
for the West, bidding his father and mother good bye for the last 
time- He did not see his old home again for twenty-nine years. From 
Ogdensburg, he went to Lewiston, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, thence 
by steamer to Cleveland, Ohio, going from the latter place to Knox 
county, Ohio, where he worked during harvesting. In October of 
the same year, he went by wagon to Cincinnati by way of Columbus, 
Akron and Xenia. There were no railroads in those days. Thence 
by steamer down the Ohio and Mississippi, he proceeded to Grand 
Gulf, where he hired out to chop cord wood in Concordia Parish, La., 
at one dollar per cord and his board. Between the second day of 
November, 1836, and the last week in February, 1837, he chopped 
313 cords. Having first made a trip by flat boat to New Orleans, we 
next find our adventurer running a keel boat up Black river, Missis- 
sippi, at ninety dollars per month. The water in the river would 
become warm in summer and so filled with decayed vegetable matter 
and dead alligators that the boatmen would first swallow a mouthful 
of water and then a little whisky to counteract its effect. The 
boats in going up the river carried corn, bacon, etc.; coming back 
their cargo was cotton, which they unloaded at Grand Gulf. The 
banks failed generally during that year, and O'Neill was paid off in 
depreciated currency. In June, 1837, he took steamer and came to 
St. Louis, where he was taken down with bilious fever, from which he 
did not recover for over two months. His brother, Alexander, joined 
him here, and together they went to St. Clair county, 111., and took 
a job of getting out railroad ties. Soon after James was taken with 
ague and Alexander with typhoid fever. The former was sick for 
nearly a year. In April, 1838, they both went to Galena. There 



240 American Sketch Hook. 

James hirod oat i man at forty dollars a month on ;i Bteamer 

called the "Science." In this capacity, he Bpent the whole Bummer, 
running up the Wisconsin river to Fort Winnebago, now Por- 
Oity, and down the Mississippi as far as Keokuk. About the 
first of November, the boat was sunk on the upper rapids, about eight 
miles below Port Byron, 111. The ensuing winter, O'Neill chopped 
cord wood again in Louisiania. But the repeated attacks of fever, 
from which he had Buffered, had so broken down his constitution that 
he could not chop more than half as much as he did before. 

In April 1839, he returned to St. Louis, where he hired out as a 
deck hand on a steamboat to run up the Illinois river. Having made 
.gle trip, he came to Prairie du Chien where he became a pilot on 
the steamer "Ariel," a boat plying between the latter place and the 
lower rapids. During the last few years and since his arrival upon 
the Mississippi, his health had been very poor. In the fall of 1839,he 
became convinced that it would not be safe for him longer to remain 
on the river. Accordingly in September of the same year, he and 
Alexander, the brother before mentioned, procured a large canoe, 
filled it with provisions at Prairie du Chien and in it came up the 
Mississippi and Black rivers to a place three miles below Black River 
Falls, Wis. Here they built a saw mill. In 1844, James removed to 
what is now Neillsville, where he has ever since resided. It will be 
unnecessary to repeat in this connection much of what has already been 
written in the sketch of Neillsville, which appears herewith, ;ind to 
which the reader is referred. Mr. O'Neill has been the moving spirit 
of the place from its first settlement. No one has taken so much 
pride or interest in its prosperity. 

He built the first log cabin, and has lived to see the forests give way 
to one of the most beautiful places in Wisconsin. On the sixth day 
of .March, 1846, he was married to Jane Douglas, a very estimable 
lady. So it will be seen that Mr. O'Neill had passed considerably 
into the realm of bachelorhood, having reached the age of thirty-six. 

Mrs. O'Neill died in lsT:!. The citizens of Neillsville universally 
bear testimony to her good qualities. She was a woman of a decided 
religious turn of mind, and is said to have done mucb for the churches 
of the place. The issue of this marriage was three children, Isabella, 
Maria and Tliumas. The daughters still live in Neillsville. Thomas 
died iii l v 7_\ when about twenty years of a 

Mr. O'Neill was elected to the Assembly of Wisconsin in 1848, 

and | ; dingly a member of the first legislature of the state, 




HON. JAMES O'NEILL. 



Sketch of Hon. James O'Neill. 243 

which met in January, 1849. What are now Clark and Jackson 
counties were then a part of Crawford county. Mr. O'Neill set out 
in December for Madison, going overland by team, by way of Prairie 
du Chien, Lancaster, Mineral Point, Dodgeville and Blue Mound. 
There was only one settler between Black River Falls until within ten 
miles of Prairie du Chien, and this was a Dutchman named Metzger, 
who lived on Coon Prairie. O'Neill's team had to walk all the way 
and break the road through the snow. On his return, he came afoot 
by the way of Sauk City, Baraboo, New Lisbon and Black River 
Falls. The man Findley, who is now a pauper in Levis, Clark county, 
was then a prominent business man at New Lisbon, and with him 
O'Neill stopped over night. From his place to Black River Falls, 
O'Neill was out two days and two night3, alone, having no blankets, 
but carrying a small ax with which to cut fire-wood. 

In 1868, he was again elected to the legislature, his opponent being 
Chauncey Blakeslee, over whom he received a large majority. In 
1848, he was elected as a democrat over W. T. Price, who ran as a 
whig. Since 1856, he has been a zealous republican. In political 
matters he has always adhered to the motto: "Principles not men." 
No promise of preferment or pecuniary advantage could swerve him 
from the path which seemed ,to him right. 

The esteem with which he has been held by his fellow citizens 
may be seen from the numerous positions of trust in which they have 
placed him. From the year 1861 to 1865, he was County Treasurer; 
for about fifteen years he was Chairman of the County Board of 
Supervisors ; at different times he has held the position of Justice of 
Peace, Town Treasurer and like offices. 

Several years ago, he built a large and elegant hotel, which he kept 
for some time, It still bears his name and does credit to the place. 
He has given lands for school purposes, a site for the Methodist 
church, beside a large gift in money, and several large lots in the 
heart of Neillsville, for county buildings. The poor and destitute 
have always been objects of his benefactions. If Mr. O'Neill had 
had the niggardly and acquisitive faculty of some men, he might to- 
day be a millionaire; as it is, he has acquired a handsome compe- 
tence, owning much valuable pine land in Clark county, and a 
great many village lots in Neillsville. No one was ever heard to 
charge him with dishonestly obtaining a dollar. In this respect his 
life is a shining example to the young men who may chance to know 
him. 

29 



-II American Sketch Book. 

Mr. O'Neill is not a man of words, but of action. Occasionally he 

is very entertaining in conversation, but usually he is very quiet. 
Physically he has been a very powerful man, weighing nearly two 
hundred pounds. II is height is about six feet, and he measures around 
the chest, forty-two inches. In his younger days his muscular ability 
was something remarkable. His hair and whiskers are slightly 
mixed with gray. At sixty-five there are no signs of baldness. 

For the last two years, Mr. O'Neill has not been actively engaged 
in business, but simply attending to the managemeut of his pine land 
and village property. 

His life has been one of hard and unremitting labor. Most of us 
would shudder at the thought of being obliged to endure the hardships 
which he has undergone. His record, as it has come to the writer, is 
creditable, having in it few things which one could wish blotted out. 
Human nature is always imperfect. In judging men, it is not well to 
look entirely at either faults or virtues, but to weigh both together. 
If the latter are great in comparison with the former, it is all we ought 
to expect. In the life which we have been tracing, the bad is as infi- 
nitesimal in comparison with the good, as the artificial fountain in our 
parlors are smaller than the cataract of Niagara. 



gketdli of Son. S. tf. I^c n cl|. 



Benjaman F. French was born in Chatauqua county, N Y., on the 
10th day of August, A. D., 1832. His father, Captain John French, 
who died a few years ago, at the residence of his son — the subject of 
this sketch — at Neillsville, Wisconsin, was a soldier of the war of 
1 812. For a period of about seven years, young French lived with his 
parents, in Chatauqua county, New York, when in the ye:ir 1839, he 
removed with thorn, to Warren county, Pennsylvania, where he re 
mained, until the year 1844, when the family moved to Jefferson 
county, Iowa. In the year 1848, his mother died, and in 1849, at 
the age of seventeen years, he left his father's house, and came to 
Crawford county, Wisconsin, and settled in what is now known as 



Sketch of Hon. B. F French. 245 

Clark county, (then a part of Crawford), near the bank of Black 
river, upon section number four (4), in township number twenty-three 
(23), north of range number two (2), west. Here he built a log 
shanty, and for about five years, kept bachelor's hall, in primeval 
manner, until the 8th of June, 1854, when he was married to Miss 
Elizabeth R. Brown ; a very estimable lady, who immediately there- 
after, assumed the household duties at the "log shanty," and who 
now is living with her husband, at Noillsville, Wisconsin, doing the 
honors, at their handsome residence, in the same unaffected and un- 
ostentatious manner, with which she presided over the log cabin, in 
1854. In 1848, Mr. French studied medicine with Dr. Mellon, but 
never engaged in the practice thereof. He occasionally waits upon 
his friends and relatives, when they are sick, but never for fee or re- 
ward, he disclaiming, always, any pretensions to being a medical man, 
although his friends, in years gone by, by virtue of his two years study 
of medicine, dubbed him with the sobriquet of "Doc"; a title of which 
he bears to this day, and which he claims to have acquired from being 
named after the illustrious philosopher, Doctor Franklin. 

In the years 1854-5, Mr. French studied law with his brother, 
Joseph French, then a prominent lawyer, at La Crosse, Wisconsin, 
who died in the fall of the year 1855; and in the month of Septem- 
ber, 1856, he was admitted to the bar, by Judge George Gale, who 
then was presiding judge of Sixth Judicial Circuit of the state of 
Wisconsin. As a lawyer, Mr. French has been very successful, hav- 
ing been engaged in many very important cases, arising in the west- 
ern part of the state, and being uniformily successful in the greater 
portion of the cases in which he has been engaged. As an advocate, 
or as it is sometimes termed, a "jury lawyer," Mr. French has few 
equals if any superiors in the western part of Wisconsin. 

In the year 1854, and at the early age of twenty-two, Mr. French 
was elected County Treasurer of Clark county — being the first 
Treasurer elected in the county. He held that office for one term, un- 
til the 1st day of January, 1856. In the fall of 1860, he was elected 
District Attorney of the county, and entered upon the duties of his 
office, in January, 1861, and continued to serve the people in that 
capacity, until the first Monday in January, 1869, serving four terms 
in that office, successively, being re-elected three times, twice without 
opposition. He held several other offices, in the town and county, 
being elected a number of times as one of the County Board of Super- 
visors, and being one or more terms, the chairman of that body. 



246 American Sketch Booh. 

In the year 1873, he was a candidate on the democratic or opposi- 
tion ticket, for member of the Assembly, in the Assembly district 
composed of the counties of Jackson and Clark, but was defeated ; 
the district being strongly republican. His opponent received only 
three hundred and fifty-two majority, whereas, the member of Congress 
on the republican ticket, (Mr. Rusk), in the same district, received 
nearly twelve hundred majority. In the county of Clark, at the same 
election, the republican ticket, generally, had a majority of over 
seven hundred, while Mr. French, as an opposition candidate, hand- 
somely carried the county by a majority of sixty-nine, thus running 
nearly eight hundred ahead of his ticket, in his own county. 

In 1867, the first Masonic Lodge in Clark county, was instituted 
at Neillsville, Wisconsin, of which lodge Mr. French was the first 
Master. He was elected three terms thereafter in succession, and 
held the office until in the year 1S71. 

In personal appearance, Mr. French is about five feet eight inches 
in height, and weighs one hundred and ninety pounds ; full face,florid 
complexion, with hair and whiskers tinged with grey, causing him to 
have the appearance of a much older man than he is. 

Although Mr. French has resided in Clark county for over twenty- 
five years, he did not become a resident of Neillsville until the year 
18G2, when he removed from his farm, six miles south of the village, 
to the place where he now lives, at the corner of Fourth and East 
streets. Mr. French has been a prominent man in the history of 
Clark county and Neillsville. Energetic and influential, he has been 
instrumental in furthering all the public improvements that have been 
made in the county for a score of years. As a man and a citizen 
he is respected, and held in the highest esteem in the community 
where he has resided for over half of his life. He is emphatically a 
self-made man. Having had but few advantages, and little education 
in his younger days, he has, by energy, perseverence and natural tal- 
ent, amassed a competency, and placed himself in an honorable and 
enviable position among his fellows, in the society in which he moves. 



S f)e$6riptioi\ of d&fk County, Wi^6oi\^ii\. 



CLARK COUNTY is bounded on the east by the counties of 
Wood and Marithon ; on the north by Chippewa ; on the west 
by Chippewa, Eau Claire and Jackson, and on the south by Jackson. 
It includes townships twenty-three to thirty-one, and range one east, 
and from one to four west inclusive, less one township in the south- 
west corner, making in all forty-four seetional townships. The soil 
will more than average with any county on either side of it. The 
whole county is more or less covered with dense forests of heavy tim- 
ber (including all the valuable woods that grow in this climate) except 
where it has been cut down for lumbering purposes, and to clear the 
land for farms. The Black River runs through the whole length of 
the county, taking within its borders a large part of what is known as 
the Black River Pinery. There are five other streams, which empty 
into the main river, within the county, all large enough for lumbering 
purposes, to wit : Wedge's Creek on the west, East Fork Cunningham 
Creek, Cawley's Creek, Rock River and Popple River on the east. 

Since its organization, Clark county has been sub-divided into nine 
incorporations, or towns, to wit : Lewis, Grant, Lynn, Pine Valley, 
Mentor, Western, Loyal, Eaton and Beaver. 

Probably no county in the state has raised a larger amount of money 
for roads, and more judiciouly laid out the same, than has Clark 
county. It has made, in one continuous line up the main river, over 
fifty miles of turnpike, at an expense of nearly one thousand dollars 
per mile ; besides seventeen and a half miles from Humbird to Neills- 
ville, at almost an equal expense per mile ; taking out all the trees, 
big and little, root and branch, the whole width of a legal road. The 
bridges have cost many thousands of dollars, independent of the cost 
of the remainder of said roads. These roads constitute the main 
thoroughfares into and through the county. But there are other 
roads, and good ones, too, that lead from the main line back into the 
several towns, for the accommodation of quite an extensive farming 
district. 



American Sketch Booh. 

One thing is particularly noticable in the county, that is the sub- 
itial character of the farm buildings and a general attempt at 
neatness. Although in a wilderness, as it were, you will find an en- 
terpriaing look about the premises of even the poorest farmer. For 
thirty miles above Cunningham Creek, on the main road, there can 
be found more and better farm buildings, in one continuous thirty 
miles, than can be found in the same distance west of the Wisconsin 
River to the state line, excluding villages that may come within that 
distance- The advantages derived from the extensive lumbering 
interest, by the farmers, is the secret of their wonderful success, as 
nothing that the farmer has raised, but has brought the highest price, 
with ready sale, and, invariably, good pay. 

The Central Wisconsin Railroad, running, as it does, through about 
twenty-five miles of the northeast part of the county, has opened a 
manufacturing business, that, in no distant day, will rival the older 
portions of the state. There are already some extensive saw mills in 
operation, doing a large business. 

The real settlement of the county commenced in 1853-4, although 
there were a few scattering settlers, on or near the main river, many 
years before that. During 1854-5-0, many new families came in, and 
dropped on to claims, here and there, through the county, where the 
best locations for easy made farms could be got, sometimes taking the 
remains of some deserted logging camp for their house, as in almost 
every instance they were poor, and entirely dependent for their sup- 
port upon wages received from lumbermen engaged on the river. 

In 1850-7, many of the settlers were reduced to almost a point of 
starvation, or emigration. Long will those years be remembered by 
them. They had just got their heads above water, so they could look 
ahead with hopes of once more living upon their own farms, without 
being compelled to earn their daily food by other employments, as in 
times past, when those hard times came on, and almost discoura 
the entire population of the county. Wages dropped down to mere 
nothing, and when money was received, there was no certainty of its 
being worth fifty per cent of its face, when they got to where thej de- 
sired to invest it for the necessaries of life, or in payment on their 
lands. It often became worthless in ■ day. A friend of mine re- 
ed hia winter - - wages, and went to La Crosse for the purpose of 
paying for his land, but was compelled to borrow money to get home, 
u nil whole winter'i work had vanished into nothingness. Bui those 

passed away, and U their cloud; disappeared, better times fol- 



A Description of Clark County, Wisconsin. 251 

lowed, and from that time to the present, Clark county has been 
making steady progress. 

The facilities for getting to and from the outside world are excel- 
lent, as it has one of the best turn-pike roads found in the West, 
running three-fourths of the entire length of the county, near the 
river ; the Central Wisconsin Railway in the northeast portion ; the 
West Wisconsin Railway passing the southwest portion, and the 
Green Bay and Mississippi Railway running east and west, on or 
near the entire south line of the county, giving it all the advantages 
desired for the transportation of commodities. 

The peculiar location of business, in the various portions of the 
county, has naturally started up four business centers, Huinbird, a 
young, but thriving village, on the West Wisconsin ; Neillsville, the 
first business center, and the county seat; Greenwood, a young, but 
thriving village, brought into existence from a necessary demand for 
a business place near the center of the farming and lumbering inter- 
ests of the county ; and Loyal. Loyal is a little business center, in 
the midst of one of the more thickly populated farming portions of 
the county, and was named after the organized town, to which it 
belongs. The enterprising men of this place, are : R. F. Wells & 
Brother, who own and run a hotel and store ; J. C. Guinn, dealer in 
general merchandise ; and H. C. Hartford, owner of a steam saw mill. 
Its location is east from Greenwood, it being two sectional townships ; 
the eastern boundry of which runs to the east line of the county. Be- 
side Neillsville, Humbird and Greenwood, which are described else- 
where, there are two points on the Central Railway, in the north- 
eastern part of the county, which, though but little stations to-day, 
will some day, be places of note, viz : Brighton and Salem, They 
are name-sakes of cities which, of course, carry with them, a notoriety, 
first, for being the largest market in the world, and the other for its 
old Puritanical witchcraft. 

In an educational point of view, this county is fully up to the times. 
In every nook and corner, where there are children, there are 
school houses for them. This subject will be more fully noticed in 
the various sketches of the business centers in the county, which will 
appear in this number of the Sketch Book. 

Clark county presents but little of its true merits to the stranger 
passing through it. But when we take into consideration the immense 
natural wealth that is in this large pinery, together with the exhaust- 
less amount of the best kinds of hard wood timber, the susceptibility 



American Sketch Booh 252 

oi the Boil to farming purposes, after the timber is exhausted ; its 
adfantagee of good roads, already substantially made, and its rail- 
roads on three sides of it, it must be admitted that Clark county stands 
a fair chance of ranking with the best counties in Wisconsin, at no 
distant day. — Sam. 



fluir|bii'cl, Wi^cor^iT\. 



HUMBIRD is a small village, situated in the southwest portion 
of Clark county, on the line of the West Wisconsin Railroad, 
and took its name from Jacob Humbird, the famous railroad builder. 
It was started in the year 18G9, and was a thriving little place, until 
the fall and winter of 1873, when that fearful malady, the small-pox, 
nearly annihiliated all business, and retarded its growth for a season. 
Subsequently, however, it became as active and thriving as before 
the appearance of the scourge, and it is now growing steadily. To 
show how rapidly Western villages spring into existence, we have 
only to state that the place, known as Humbird, and now occupied by 
graded streets, bordered by fine buildings, was, in 18G9, covered with 
heavy timber, where deer and other wild animals had a dwelling place. 
There are stumps to be found to this day about Humbird, which show 
the observer what magnificent pines lately grew upon the soil. Still 
the village has the appearance of being much older than it really is. 
An Eastern person noticing its mills, hotels, stores, shops, store- 
houses, and forwarding and commission houses, all commodious and 
neatly painted buildings, would imagine it to be at least, twenty 
years old. Humbird cannot help being a permanent and thriving 
town, situated as it is, with one of the largest pineries in the state on 
one side, and on the other, a rich farming country, leading even into 
Minnesota, from which large amounts of produce are hauled by 
farmers to this place, and exchanged for lumber, that is manufactured 
near the village. In addition to the lumber trade already mentioned, 
there are, north and east, some extensive groves of pine timber, where 
saw mills and shingle mills are in operation, and all material manu- 
factured there, is either shipped at this point, or passes through the 



Humbird, Wisconsin. 253 

place to the farmers south and west, much of it being sent to 
Minnesota. 

The large advance in the price of grain to the Minnesota farmers, 
and the saving in the price of the lumber bought, give a handsome 
profit to those engaged in the trade, ensuring a prominent business to 
the live men of Humbird. South and west are some very fertile val- 
leys (a portion of which has been located for many years) extending 
even through to the Mississippi River, and at certain seasons of the 
year they cause quite an extensive grain and produce trade, giving 
Humbird its full share, compared with other towns on the line of the 
road. This village, like many other new, thriving ones of the west, 
has some real "go-ahead " men who know nothing but success, and 
their courage, ambition, and strict attention to their several branches 
of business, are a sufficient guarantee of the future prosperity of the 
place. Among those who never tire, and who naturally take the lead 
in any honorable enterprise, are George W. King, L. D. Halstead, 
S. Z. Smith (the renowned "Zene"), Ben Webster, E. D. Carter, F. 
W. Whitcomb and numerous others, whose names will appear in a 
directory to follow this article. 

I am unable to give the dimensions of the school-house, or the 
number of religious societies, in the village, but can state that there 
is a lively interest taken by the patrons and tax-payers, in the line of 
education, and in the moral welfare of the people. 

Justice would not be done to this place, in a sketch of this kind, 
without taking notice of the new merchant flouring mill, and the large 
brewery, now in operation. William Schmidt, the proprietor of the 
mill, has necessarily been to a large expense in getting the p ower im- 
proved, so as to insure success. The extraordinary length of the dam 
has, on such sandy foundation, required the very best engineering, 
and material, together with more courage than most men have ; and 
the citizens should, (as no doubt they do) feel under obligations to 
Mr. Schmidt for contributing so largely to the prosperity of the 
town. 

One would be surprised to go through the business houses of this 
place, and observe the many modern improvements. Among some of 
the heavy merchants are E. D. Carter, dry goods and general mer- 
chandise, and Herbert Holbrook & Brother, drugs, medicines and 
groceries ; comparing well with cities numbering thousands to hun- 
ereds of the population of Humbird, and still these establishments are 
not too large for the present demand. — harms searl. 
30 



254 American Sketch Booh. 

Humbird Business Directory. 

PROFESSIONAL MEN. 
O. G. Tripp, Attorney at Law. J. Q. A. Ball, Physician. 
A. E. Ilolbrook, Physician. [ra W. Wait. Physician. 

Russell Alderman, Physician. Prof. Wed. Van Waters, Teachei. 
Rev. Win. L. Stanton, Pastor M. E. Church. 

MERCHANTS. 

E. D, Carter, Dry Goods and Groceries. 
S. Z. Smith, Dealer in Grain, Hides, etc. 
II. C. Ilolbrook & Co., Drugs and Groceries. 

L. P. Ilolcomb, Dealer in Horses and Cattle. 
James McElhors, Groceries and Provisions. 
Gilbert A. Tracy, Dealer in Furniture. 
R. D. Shaw, Hardware Merchant- 
Sidney, Houghton & Wilder, Dry Goods and Groceries. 
Miss Mary A. Bone, Millinery Store. 

MA A UFA CTURERS. 
Wm. Schmidth, Flouring Mill. Ernest Eilert, Brewery. 

Henry Howes, Lumber Manufac'r. G. \V. King, Lumber Mauufr, 
Joseph Tafr, Wagon Maker. Peter Zimmer, Boots & Shoes. 

Win. Doty, Harness Maker. J. Molshn, Boots and Shoes. 

Mathias Haner, Brick Maker. Maurice Austin, Boots & Shoes. 

MECHANICS. 

Horace Stiles, Surveyor. Albert Alderman, Carpenter. 

Samuel Wise, Carponter. Simon P. Andrews, Mason. 

Peter Wilson, Blacksmith. Henry Hartman, Blacksmith. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

David B. Travis, Postmaster. Robert McElhors, rhotugraj In r. 

Long & Wicker, Meat Market. Sylvester M icoinber, Livery. 
F. W. Whitcomb, Railroad and Express Agent. 

James Monell, Village Express. 

L. D. Ilalstead, Proprietor of the [Ialstead Bouse. 

Albert Enason, Proprietor Humbird Hou 

LIQUOR DEALERS. 
A I). Super. Franois & Danery. Peter Zimmer 

Bowman & Moid. George M. Andrews. 



Gji'eeqwoocL, Wi^doi\^ii\. 



THE first person that settled in the vicinity of what is now called 
Greenwood, was Elijah Eaton, who, sometime about the years 
1852-3, built a saw mill on the main Black River, about half a mile 
west of what is now the little village of Greenwood. Sometime in 
1861 or 1862, Stephen C. Honeywell located himself on the present 
site of Greenwood, and cleared a good farm, making it the head- 
quarters of his lumbering business, which he carried on pretty exten- 
sively and successfully. 

About the years 1867-8, the people doing business on the river, 
began to look for a place that would be more contiguous to their lum- 
bering operations, the necessity growing yearly, as the farms began 
to open up in that neighborhood, and supplies that once had to begot 
at Neillsville, or even at Black River Falls, now began to be raised 
as far up as this place, and even many mile3 above. Finally such 
man as S. C. Honeywell, W. H. Begley, Eaton & Brown and others, 
took the matter in hand, and like magic a village was built up — a vil- 
lage with all the western go-aheaditiveness, which has a population of 
two hundred or more, with its schools, its church organizations, its Good 
Templar and Odd Fellow's societies, its professional men, its manufac- 
turing establishments, and its shops, stores and tradesmen. 

Its particular location is sixteen miles up the river from Neillsville, 
the county seat, about one eighth of a mile north of Rock River, and 
about half a mile east of Black River, being nearly in the center of 
the farming district of the county. On either side are already some 
very large farms, with more than ordinarily good buildings — in fact 
some elegant dwelling', which will be a substantial support to the 
village. It not only has the farming interest, that is and will be 
a sufficient support to. the village, but more than one half of all the 
lumbering business of this great river, is done above Greenwood, giv- 
ing it an advantage over all the towns below, on the river. 

There are some fine water-powers near Greenwood, also a water 
and steam saw mill within a short distance, making a plenty of lum- 
ber for building purposes, and at a very much lower price than what 
has to be paid in any other farming district in the state. 



256 American Sketch Book. 

The following directory will show some of the live resident owners. 
B. F. Brown, Postmaster. J. M. Hoyt, Milliard Saloon. 

Robert Gorer, Furniture Dealer. Mr. Bailey, Sash, Doors k Blinds. 
W. II. Begley, Hotel. S. C. Honeywell, Lumberman. 

W. II. Begley, Lumberman. G. W. Hubbell, Lumberman. 

S. C. Durham, Butcher. G. W. Hubbell, Blacksmith. 

W. II. Begley, Blacksmith. George Andrews, Blacksmith. 

Chandler & Drown, Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries, Flour, etc. 
Prank Butler, Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, Flour and Feed. 
J. Brown, Groceries, Notions and Flour. 
Eaton k Brothers, Hardware, Flour and Feed. 
Samuel Green, Gunsmith. 

II. J. Thomas, Physician and Surgeon, dealer in Drugs & Medicines. 
Elias Peterson & Co., Boots and Shoes. 
Philip Ramminger, Wagon and Carriage Manufacturer. 
A. P. Clark, Barber and Confectionery. 
Schofield & Weston, Plaining Mill and Lumber Dealers. 
Mrs. Thomas Pownder, Boarding House. 
H. M. Peck, Carpenter and Jobber. 
Hudson Davis, Carpenter and Jobber. 
Brown & Chandler, Billiard Saloon. 
Carl Bugh, Glove Manufacturer and Tanner. 



A lla^eloi'V Soliloquy. 



So that was Anna, and her lord and master 

I visited to-day ! 
There was a time when every pulse throbbed faster 

Did either cross my way ; — 
There was a time when like her faithful " Bruin," 

I followed at her nod ; — 
A time when there seemed naught hut death, or ruin, 

In paths by her untrod. 
A time when I found all my sweetest pleasure 

While gazing in her eyes ; — 

Hut oh ! another coveted my treasure, 

And lo ! he wmi the prize. 



A Bachelors Soliloquy. 257 

I smile while thinking of the bitter sorrow, 

I suffered by the blow, 
Nor thought I should, some far-away to-morrow, 

Be thankful it was so. 
And was that plain and weary looking mortal 

The one I asked as wife ? 
For whose dear sake I would have passed the portal 

Into another life ? 
To-day, her hand, with dirty water dripping, 

I very lightly shook. 
I noticed, too, her worn-out shoes went slipping, 

At every step she took. 
That Anna ? — whom I used to lead to bowers 

Of summer's richest green ! 
How often I have plucked the sweetest flowers 

To crown her Beauty's queen ! 
And is that meager, lonely, unkept dwelling 

The home I wished to see ? — 
And that bald-headed baby, always yelling, 

" The bud to bloom for me ? " 
Do women grow so old and plain by marriage ? 

There's Anna's cousin, May, 
A beauty still, in face, and form, and carriage, 

Not younger by a day. 
There was a time they rivaled one another; 

And now, should either will, 
This Anna could be passed for Manie's mother ;— 

But May is single still. 
So that was Anna ? — that pale, haggard creature ! — 

The village belle and pride ! 
And I could scarcely recognize a feature 

Of my once promised bride. 
Once, only, did her blue eyes beam upon me — 

With olden beauty, too ! 
Another glance, I fear, would have undone me, 

Just as it used to do. 
Once only ! then the weary look returning, 

Spread o'er her haggard face ; 
And though I watched her, with my lone heart yearning, 
No other could I trace. 



American Sketch Booh. 

But ah ! I read, as though 'twere there by letter, 

The question that it threw: — 
•• » >, Etiohard, had this life of mine been better, 

Had I kept faith with you? " 
S tmehow, I cannot quite help thinking — dreaming 

Of how it mijiht have been ! 
Somehow, I'm haunted by the blue eyes beaming, 

Though now it is a sin ! 
I Jut fie ! I have no love to crush and bury ; 

Nor shall its phantom rise. 
1 am quite sure that I am thankful, very, 

That Charley won the prize.— BELLA FRENCH. 



Tryii,il to \\dotr\\ a Cat. 

I BAD somewhere read a statement made by Dio Lewis to the 
effect that a person could support himself well for fifty-four and 
a half cents, or some such an amount, per week, and I resolved to try 
the experiment. I did not have the bill of fare, as made out by the 
Doctor, but I supposed it must consist principally of Graham bread 
and water, with an occasional sour apple or raw egg to top off with. 
I made the change in the mode of my living on a Monday morning, 
and when I took my early walk to the postofTice, resolutely passed the 
the baker's where the hot buns were waiting to be eaten, and did not 
: stop at the meat market for the usual ''five cents worth of meat 
For the cat." I had resolved that my household should not indulge 
in luxuries which I denied myself; and as my household consisted of 
only myself and a cat of the masculine persuasion, 1 had but to try 

the work of reform on my feline companion. 

On reaching home, i began the preparation for our breakfast, which 
did n<»t occupy much time. Giving a sigh to the memory of fragranl 
coffee which had always graced my table, I sal down to a Blice of Gra- 
ham '>n a l and c.ld water, wondering what had become of my appetite. 
Tom took lii-. station by my side, and, licking his jaws in an expectant 

way, said, "Vuw." "Tom," answered I, " I have made up my mind 

to teform. The way we hare been living is an outrage on my pocket- 



Trying to Reform a Cat. 259 

book; besides, it is slow suicide. Only cannibals eat flesh ; only 
murderers deal in poisons. We are to reform our habits, and spend 
the money thus saved in improving our minds, I always give the 
members of my household as good as I have myself, so I divide my 
breakfast with you." 

So saying, I placed a bit of the Graham bread before him. But 
that impudent Tom, instead of coinciding with my plans, looked up 
complaisantly and winked one of his green eyes at me. "Very well," 
said I, "you can eat that or starve," and I turned to my own breakfast. 

A minute later, I glanced at him from under my half closed eyelids. 
He had lifted the piece of Graham bread with one of his paws, and 
was playing ball with it. Such a comical picture as he made, and 
how delicately he handled it ! I laughed outright. 

Our fare for dinner that day was a slice of Graham bread and a 
sour apple ; but when I placed Tom's share before him, he walked 
away in disgust. At supper time, this behavior was repeated. 

Days passed on. Tom grew lank, lean and fretful ; but I did not 
relent. I was growing lank, lean and fretful myself, but would not 
give up my work of reform. One old morning, as I sprang out of 
bed, I heard Tom's voice at the door, asking admittance. Without 
waiting to dress my feet, I answered his call, when what did that un- 
grateful chap do but set his teeth into one of my bare toes ! I tore 
myself away from him with a yell, and the next moment my foot was 
covered with blood, which was dropping from the wound. Now, old 
fellow," said I, "when you get any meat you will know it, I think. 
I was just relenting in your favor, but after such an attack as this I'll 
see you hanged before you have anything but Graham bread." He 
seemed to understand me, for, when I put his breakfast before him 
that morning, he nibbled at the bread ; but it did not suit his taste, 
and he spit it out. The next morning I found myself in double 
trouble- My foot was so swollen that I could not get my shoe on, and 
the cat did not put in an appearance, as usual. T was hungry, lone- 
some and in pain; and what was worse, I could not help thinking- 
naughty things about Dio Lewis. I did not say anything naughty, 
but I thought it — loud too. Such a state of affairs as mj household 
presented, and all through him. The only masculine member of the 
household was gone — alas ! none knew where, myself crippled and my 
larder as well as my stomach empty ! 

This happened two months ago, but Tom has not returned and my 
toe is not yet well. I have given up the reform business. Alter all 



260 American Sketch Jiuok. 

it is hard to improve on nature so that the improvement is perceptible 
in one generation. I stop at the baker's and at the meat market now, 
bat Tom is not with me to enjoy my feasts. If he has committed 
suicide, or otherwise gone to destruction, or if I am yet obliged to 
have my toe amputated, that miserable Dio L wis ought to be held 
answerable. Don't you think so? — BBLLA FRENCH- 



¥00 I<ate! 

Time seemed so long, I once believed 

Wealth could be won, and then a name ; 
But ah ! I find the first achieved, 

Has quite destroyed all hope of fame. 
For time is short, instead of long ; 

And he, who once to Mammon kneels, 
Has lost the power to break the thong 

That binds him to its chariot wheels. 
Once chained, adieu to poet dreams ! 

Life's best emotions crushed and stilled ; 
Until with restless, grasping schemes, 

Each cell of brain and heart is filled. 
And so, when pierced by vague regret 

That life to me is death, I come 
i!v stealth to vow allegiance yet, 

I find the muse, once worshipped, dumb ! 
I find too late that she has lied, 

Veiling from me her sacred fire; 
And in my heart is left instead, 

Only a miser's gross desire ; — 
A gross desire from day to day 

To add more dollars to the pile ; — 
A business habit I obey, 

With heart revolting all die while ; — 

Only a miser'fl gross desire 

To live and grow in wealth. Ah! fate, 
That 1 should have no motive high'r, 

Or having it, should have too late. — Ali-. 



The American Sketch Book 

vistorical u agazine ; which is at present engaged in giving the history 
vVisconsin in monthly installments ; each installment containing from 
Ay to sixty pages of reading matter, descriptive of some city, or village 
)r county, i. e. giving the history, the advancement, improvement etc., of 
/ the place, together with one or more views, and biographical sketches of 
its prominent citizens, as well as a complete business directory. 

Terms $2.50 per annum, that is $2 50 for twelve numbers. Single 
copies thirty-five cents. < 

A single line in the directory will be allowed each individual free op 
charge ; for each additional line a charge of fifty cents will be made, and 
the same for inserting the single line in capitals. 

Advertisements for each number will be taken at the following rates : 
One page $12; half page $7; one fourth page $5. 

No traveling agents employed The editor visits each place personally, 
and collects the material ; also does her own canvassing and delivery of 
books. A responsible local agent in every town is desired. 



HARRIS SEARL, 

CLEHK OF CIRCUIT COUHT, 

A.TSI3 \ 

AND INSURANCE AGENT. 

EAU CLAJRE, WISCONSIN. 



Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway. 

The great through line for <^hica?o, New York. New England, the Camdas and 
all Eastern and Southern Points. Connecting in Chicago with all Eastera and South- 
ern Lines 

Chicago Depot, corner Catjal and West Mulison Streets.' Horse cars and Stage 
Lines for all parts of the cUy constantly passing. 

THE ONLY THROUGH LINE ' 
between Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Minneapolis It traverses a finer coun- 
try, with grander scenery, and passes through more business centers and pleasure 
resorts, than any other Northwestern Line And the only Riilway Line traversing 
the valley of the Upper Mississippi River, and along the shores of Lake Pepin. 

Through palace coaches and sleeping c.irs. 

Jgg^Connectins; at St. Paul and Minneapolis with the sev. ral lines centering at 
those points. St. P.i'il Denot cor, Jaekpon and Levee. City office, 118, East Jackson 
St., corner of Third Street. A. V. II. CARPENTER, General Pass, and Ticket 
Agent, Milwaukee. 



:#m 




DICAT.lOlt IN 



DRY GOODS, NOTIONS, 

Clothing, Carpets, Woolens, etc. 

LACROSSE, - - - WISCONSIN. 



